Nothing Equals The Splendour
by BrightShiningAsTheSun
Summary: The Winchesters must fight to stop the Apocalypse, angels, demons and everything in-between. Along the way, they meet Adelaide and her partner Lee, two hunters who offer up their services to help save the world. Between fighting good and evil, the team make allies with some rebel angels and together, they fight for what they know is right.
1. Chapter 1

Time, it seemed, was running out for Adelaide Kingsley. The darkness that plagued the abandoned apartments filled the room until it felt as if it were pressing against her. The old building was due to be demolished the next morning, so she needed to be out of there as soon as possible. The silence was unsettling. Her heavy breaths billowed and curled into shape in the cold air. That meant the spirit was close. She turned her head slowly to the left then to the right, her dark eyes skimming over the scene, hoping to catch a glimpse of the vengeful spirit now that she had become accustomed to the gloom. When she didn't find anything, Adelaide heaved a silent sigh and crept out from her hiding place. She moved her gun from one sweaty hand to the other and turned off the safety with a sharp click, her eyes still flicking over her surroundings carefully. A loud bang to the left made her spring forward and raise her gun, her instincts kicking in at the first hint of danger. With one narrowed eye, she lined up the shot but found there was nothing to aim at. Adelaide held her position for a few more moments, just in case the spirit decided to show. Finally, she lowered her weapon and sighed, relaxing her stance. Adelaide clicked her tongue and dug into the pocket of her worn leather jacket to pull out her EMF meter. She tutted angrily at the readings she was getting. The device was going haywire but there was nothing here.

"Bloody thing." She muttered, resorting to smacking the side of the machine against the palm of her hand, hoping that it would make a difference. It did not, and the machine continued to whir erratically. "What are you on about?" She whispered to the device, shaking her head crossly. All of a sudden, she heard heavy chains clinking and Adelaide whirled around to find the vengeful spirit standing right behind her. Before she could raise her gun, she was sent soaring backwards through the air, her weapon and the EMF reader falling from her grip. Her back slammed against the wall and she slid unceremoniously to the ground. She groaned, swore and slammed her fist against the cold floor in frustration. She'd gotten distracted. Rookie mistake. She wondered momentarily why her back wasn't in excruciating pain and looked up at the wall she had been thrown against. Thankfully, the concrete was beginning to crumble away with age and had softened slightly. Powder covered her clothes and hair and she had to fight not to inhale any of it.

Adelaide groaned again and tried to sit up when she heard the sound of chains jangling again. She looked up quickly and found the spirit standing before her. It was the ghost of a young woman, drowned by her jealous husband back in 1934. She may have been beautiful once, but now her skin was mottled and saggy and seemed to drip off her skull like candle wax, revealing the sheer white bone of her eye sockets. She was wrapped in heavy, thick chains that fell to the floor, dragging along behind her as she walked. Her dress was torn and dirty, with holes appearing in the old fabric. But the worst part by far was the water that dripped from her hair, her eyes, her nose and mouth. It dribbled down the fabric of her once white gown and off the fingers of her bony hands until it puddled on the floor beneath her bare feet. The girl took a step towards her and Adelaide sprang into action.

"Shit." She swore as she dove between the spirit's legs, sliding across the cracked floor. She managed to grab her gun in the process and rolled to her feet with ease. The girl turned, her movements made sluggish by the heavy chains, but Adelaide was already tearing off down the corridor. She pumped her arms and legs, forcing herself to keep going as fast as she could. She skidded around one corner then another, hoping to lose the monster and give herself enough time to figure out a new plan of action. She turned down one last corridor, hoping that she'd run in more a less a circle when she saw two figures at the opposite end of the hall. She immediately put on the brakes and pulled out her gun. She tried desperately to remember if any of the former residents she had talked to earlier had mentioned anything about seeing more than one spirit. But as she stepped closer, carefully putting one foot in front of the other, she realised that the figures were just people and not ghostly entities. With a sigh she dropped her arms and stalked towards them in as much of an authoritative way as was possible after having been running solidly through endless hallways.

"Hey!" She called to the two figures at the end of the corridor, their faces shrouded by the gloom. "Hey! You can't be here!" She was within ten feet of them when she put away her gun. She didn't want to scare members of the public any more than they already had been by the vengeful spirit. She was shocked when she saw that the two figures were grown men. She'd assumed they would be teenagers, sneaking into an abandoned, condemned building for kicks, but they were adults, one tall and shaggy haired, the other shorter, leading the way. She noticed that the taller of the two was carrying a small machine that was whirring suspiciously like an EMF meter. She narrowed her eyes and drew closer to them. "You've got to-"

"Get down!" The shorter of the two men cried and he raised a gun. Adelaide gasped and ducked to the floor as bullets ricocheted down the corridor. She looked around just in time to see the vengeful spirit disappear in a whirl of smoke. She stood straight and faced the two men.

"What the-" But she saw the spirit beginning to appear over the shoulder of the shorter man and jumped into action. She reached forward and grabbed their sleeves, pulling them behind her as she began to run back the way she had come. "Go! Go! Go!" She ordered as she let go of their sleeves. She heard their feet pounding behind hers and felt a small sense of relief wash over her. But who were these two? Why were they here? And why did they seem to know exactly what they were doing? They couldn't be hunters, she would know if there were more of her kind in the small town she was visiting. All these questions were knocked out of her head as she was thumped to the ground. Adelaide groaned as she landed on her knees and forearms. She looked around her and realised they were back in the room she had started in. The taller man helped her quickly to her feet and she pulled out her gun. The spirit that had knocked her down was smiling eerily at her, her head slowly tilting to one side as if she was trying to work her out. The thought made Adelaide shudder and she cocked her gun, ready to fire.

"Wait." The shorter man suddenly said, his voice deep and gruff. She looked across at him and he raised his hand, an object gripped tightly in his fist. He smiled wolfishly at the spirit who was quickly advancing on them and opened his hand. Sitting in his palm was an old brooch, its brightly coloured jewels dulled by age. Adelaide looked back to the woman to see her reaction and saw that she was staring at the brooch intently. She recognised it. The shorter man then raised his other hand and flicked on his lighter expertly. "Sayonara, lady." Adelaide heard him mutter before raising the naked flame to the time-worn brooch. Immediately, the metal began to melt, its colours blackening. Adelaide saw the spirit grow red with anger and she was knocked backwards off her feet _again_ when the woman screamed with fury.

The shorter man dropped the brooch to the floor before it could burn his palm and the spirit rushed towards them, her chains rattling eerily beneath the maddening sound of her furious screams. But before she could reach them, she stopped and gave one more manic cry before she disappeared into a wisp of smoke. Adelaide sat back on her hands, breathing heavily. It was over. They were safe. She looked across and saw that the two men had also been knocked off their feet by the power behind the young woman's screams. She turned back to where the spirit had disappeared and sucked in a deep, calming breath. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, the adrenalin still coursing through her system. A hand suddenly appeared in front of her face and she looked up to see it belonged to the taller man. He smiled down at her kindly but Adelaide ignored his hand, choosing to help herself up instead. She brushed off her clothes and nodded to the two men.

"Thanks." She mumbled before she grabbed her bag from the corner and stormed out of the room. The two brothers watched her leave in varying stages of surprise and confusion.

"Ungrateful much?" Dean muttered as he straightened out his jacket. Sam shrugged back and went to pick up their EMF reader from where it had been knocked out of his hand when he fell. He stooped and grabbed the device. It had stopped whirring now that the threat was gone and he shoved it into his bag. He turned and Dean walked up to him, his hand outstretched. "Here." He said, holding out a small machine but not looking at him, distracted by the gun that he was reloading expertly. Sam frowned at his brother and took the EMF reader from him. He reached into his bag and pulled out the one he'd just picked up. Dean raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "Lucky find?" He guessed. But Sam knew better.

"The woman." He said and Dean nodded. They both looked in the direction she had exited and followed suit.

* * *

Adelaide heaved her bag up onto the boot of her car and stared rooting through it. Gun, check. Salt, check. Holy water, check. Knives, check. EMF reader, che- Wait. Adelaide's brow furrowed and she dug around in her bag some more. Where was that bloody machi- Oh. Adelaide sighed and let her head fall back exasperatedly. She knew exactly where it was. She hadn't picked it up after the spirit had knocked it from her grasp. She clicked her tongue and zipped up her bag, chucking it roughly into the boot of her car. She'd have to go back in and get it now. All she wanted was to find a motel, curl up in bed, and watch some bad telly. She clicked her tongue again and stepped away from her car.

"Looking for this?" A voice called. She froze mid-step and turned around to find the two men standing behind her. The taller one smiled at her and raised her missing EMF reader. Adelaide sighed in relief and walked to meet them halfway.

"Thanks." She said, smiling gratefully up at the man. She turned the machine on to check it hadn't broken in the fall, but it looked in good shape. She looked back up at the men when the taller one began to speak again.

"Hey, thanks for saving our asses back there." He said, looking genuinely grateful. Adelaide looked to the shorter man and he nodded with a smile. She returned it but shook her head.

"Don't mention it. Thanks for saving _mine_." She replied. The shorter man laughed and put out his hand for her to shake.

"You got a name?" He asked, looking the woman up and down. She was short, even by their standards, with blonde hair and dark blue eyes. From her accent, he knew she was English but she wasn't nearly as well-spoken as the last English girl they'd met, Bela. Her clothes were simple, a pair of old jeans and a shirt with a worn brown jacket pulled over the top. She accepted his friendly handshake, her grip strong.

"Adelaide. Adelaide Kingsley." She told them with a slight nod. He returned the nod and she shook the taller man's hand as well.

"You're a hunter." He noted and Adelaide had to smile.

"You got me." She said, her arms spread wide. "What gave it away?"

"I'm Sam Winchester and this is my brother, Dean." The taller man introduced himself and his companion. Now she understood why she'd thought the shorter one had been the leader, he was obviously the older brother. But then Adelaide frowned. Those names sounded familiar. She thought back quickly and realised that another hunter had told her about them back home.

"I've heard of you." She told them, pointing a finger between the two brothers. She thought harder for a moment and realised why. The Winchesters were infamous for their achievements. A lot of hunters knew about them and their story. "Wow, Sam and Dean. You're pretty famous back home." She told them. She didn't miss the somewhat proud smirk that crossed Dean's face.

"Oh, yeah?" Adelaide nodded and her lip curled up into a smile.

"Everyone knows about what you two get up to." She told them and they looked slightly uncomfortable. She laughed shortly and put her hands on her hips. "Oh, the Winchester boys. You've had it pretty hard, eh?" Dean snorted.

"You could say that." He agreed, looking up at his brother who rolled his eyes back. Sensing that she should change the subject, Adelaide cleared her throat and nodded back towards the old block of flats.

"We killed it then? The spirit?" She checked. She wanted to get out of this quiet little town and back to somewhere more interesting. She didn't want to hear about the spirit still haunting people after she'd left, but Dean nodded proudly.

"Yeah, S and M's not gonna be bothering anyone again." He said and Adelaide scrunched up her nose at his crude nickname for the poor woman. Sam noticed her discomfort and quickly said,

"So, anyway. Thanks for, uh, doing half the work." Adelaide laughed and shrugged.

"Just a shame I didn't get to finish what I'd started." She joked, winking at the taller brother. They both smiled and Dean clapped his hand together, a sign that he was ready to go.

"Nice meeting you." He told her warmly, raising his hand in farewell. Adelaide nodded,

"Yeah, you too." She replied, smiling at the two brothers. She said her goodbyes one last time before she turned to her car. She was in the middle of pulling her bag out the boot to return her EMF reader to its rightful place when Dean's voice called to her.

"Unless, maybe I can buy you a drink?" He asked. Adelaide laughed and looked over her shoulder at him. He was smiling devilishly and she guessed that would usually win over most girls. She had to admit, he was attractive but she had places to be and a microwave meal to eat, no time to think about attractive men.

"I don't think so." She said, letting him down gently as she turned back to her car. She heard his brother laugh and she smiled to herself.

"Or dinner?" Sam's voice asked. Adelaide stopped as she reached up to close the boot and thought about his offer. She _was_ hungry and by the look on Sam's face, it was to thank her for helping them, not to get into her pants. She thought for a moment before she slammed the boot closed. She locked her car and nodded.

"Okay." She agreed and laughed at the offended look on Dean's face as his brother succeeded where he'd failed. She saw Sam's triumphant expression and raised her eyebrows. "You're buying, right?" She said as she sauntered past them and towards the car park exit. It was Dean's turn to laugh now and Adelaide shook her head at the boys. This was going to be a much better night than she'd thought.


	2. Chapter 2

It didn't take them long to find somewhere suitable to eat. The town may have been small, but it was abundant with restaurants of all kinds: Mexican, Italian, Japanese, Greek. Dean told them that as long as he had a burger in front of him in less than twenty minutes then he was good. Adelaide had agreed wholeheartedly, much to Sam's dismay, so they found a little diner at the end of the food district.

Warm light spilled out of the wide front windows of the squat building. A bar ran all the way along the inside with squashy stools in front of it for people to sit and enjoy a drink or a meal. There were six or seven booths dotted around the diner, with little square jukeboxes on every table that would play your song if you inserted a quarter. Music blared out of speakers in each corner of the room, currently the sound of Elvis's 'Return To Sender' that Adelaide immediately began to hum along to as they were seated by their rather flirtatious waitress. Their conversation was light and easy. Adelaide felt very much at ease with the two brothers, despite only having just met them. The waitress took their orders and sashayed off to the bar to relay the information to the chef, a broad smiling man in a stained apron. Dean was halfway through the story of how they were once cursed with bad luck with hilarious consequences when the waitress came back with her arms full of plates.

"That's the sidewinder soup and the salad combo for you, honey." She breathed, passing the plate to an uncomfortable looking Sam. "The double slammer burger with fries for you, gorgeous." The waitress passed the plate with a not-so-subtle wink, making Dean look quite pleased with himself. "And the chicken, lettuce and bacon burger with fries for Queen Victoria." The waitress said, finally passing the last plate to Adelaide who was sat across from the two brothers. She scowled slightly at the nickname but the waitress, whose name tag told them her name was Britney, only smiled. She flounced away again and Adelaide rolled her eyes at Dean's snort. They tucked in eagerly, the hunt having left them famished as always.

"So, Adelaide, what are you doing round here?" Dean asked through a mouthful of food. Adelaide smiled as Sam rolled his eyes at his brother's lack of manners. Dean ignored him and continued chewing. "I mean, you don't exactly sound like a local." He added after he'd swallowed his bite of the huge burger he'd ordered. Adelaide shrugged and took a languid sip of her beer.

"Heard the States was where all the action was, so I hopped on a plane and here I am." She said simply, leaning back in her seat. The soft red and white leather booth was persuasively comfortable and after the long day she'd had, she was finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. Her forehead creased as she thought about her stay. "Been here about... Four years now?" She calculated. Then with a smile she added, "Got myself a nice tan." Sam exhaled sharply before raising his eyebrows.

"You hunt alone?" He asked as he raised his bottle to his lips. Adelaide shook her head, covering her mouth with one hand to answer his question without revealing her mouthful of food.

"Usually I'm with my partner but she's having "family problems" at the moment so she's back home for a while." She explained, lazily using one hand to quote her friend's words.

"She English too?" Dean asked with a devilish smile. Sam gave him a look but Adelaide ignored him.

"Known each other since we were eleven years old." She answered instead with a nostalgic smile. Sam looked suddenly interested.

"So you're both born and raised hunters then?" He assumed, but Adelaide shook her head again. Her stomach growled at her and she remembered her somewhat neglected meal. She reached forward and picked up her burger with two hands, taking a big bite.

"No, she was. Her mum _and_ her dad. Family business. But, uh, I was attacked by a werewolf when I was sixteen and Lee saved me." She explained, having to suppress a shudder at the memory. It had been a long night and Adelaide was walking home from her Saturday job in the local supermarket. She'd just turned into her street when she heard footsteps behind her. Against her better judgement, Adelaide had turned around to find a man crouched in the middle of the road, his eyes burning bright in the darkness. She'd immediately started to run, hoping that she might find someone who could help her, but the streets were empty. Then suddenly, just when she thought she was done for, there was a loud gunshot and the man fell to the ground. She'd turned and found her best friend of five years standing there with a pistol and an awkward smile.

"Lee, that's your partner?" Dean asked and Adelaide was brought out of her memory. The song playing now was The Beatles' 'Twist and Shout' and she smiled, beginning to nod her head to the beat of the song.

"Mm hm." She mumbled through her mouthful. She clapped her hands together briskly to shake off any crumbs. "She shot the werewolf, dragged me back to my house and told me all about what she and her family did. And then that was it. I just had to get in on it." She shrugged her shoulders. "And I don't regret it one bit." She added, more to herself than the boys. She was quiet for a moment, her eyes fixed on the table and Sam was worried she was getting upset but she seemed to snap out of her daze and reached for her beer. "Could've used her on that last hunt actually. She's better at thinking, I'm better at shooting." She told them with a laugh. Sam smiled back and nodded towards his brother who at that moment was busy eyeing up their waitress.

"I know what you mean." He told her and Dean pretended to be offended. He gave an affronted cry and smacked his brother's shoulder. Then he sent him a grin to show he knew they were only kidding around. Adelaide laughed with them and sat up in her seat.

"So, brothers, then. That's quite cool." She said and Sam pouted his lips thoughtfully.

"It has its ups and downs." He told her, earning himself another slap. Adelaide laughed again as she shoved a handful of fries into her mouth.

"So, how's things, boys?" She asked conversationally. She raised her eyebrows when the brother's seemed to clam up. She snorted. "What? You think I'm just gonna let you get away with not chatting about yourselves?" This earned her a quiet laugh from both the boys but they still weren't willing to talk. "C'mon, what've you been up to recently? What car do you drive? What's your favourite song? What's you're mum's maiden name? Blah blah blah." She fired off questions noncommittally, airily waving a fry about. Dean looked to his brother who nodded his approval. Adelaide decided they were trying to agree on whether they could trust her or not.

"Uh, to answer those in reverse order…" Dean answered with a slight smirk. "Campbell, either Zeppelin's 'Ramble On' or 'Travelling Riverside Blues', a Chevy Impala '67 and uh…" He trailed off and looked to his brother again. His lip was twisted thoughtfully and Sam's sad expression was very uncharacteristic.

"What?" Adelaide knew she shouldn't push them if they didn't want to talk. She had only just met them, but she found she was far too interested in what was making the boys so quiet all of a sudden to leave it alone. Sam sighed and looked up at her.

"The Apocalypse." He said eventually, his voice unusually quiet. Adelaide, as expected by the two brothers, looked surprised to say the least. She stared at them for a few moments, as if waiting for Sam's words to process. Finally, she leaned forward and raised her eyebrows at them.

"Sorry, you'll have to excuse me, I'm going a bit deaf in my old age." She told them, tapping a finger to her left ear. Sam had to laugh then, she could only have been in her late twenties, same as him. "I thought you said 'Apocalypse' there." She said with a weak smile. It was clear that she was hoping they were joking. When neither of them could answer her, she sat back in her seat with a heavy sigh. "Well… Fuck." Was all she could manage. Dean breathed a laugh and nodded, his hands clasped together.

"Yeah." He agreed quietly. Adelaide took another moment or two to take it all in before she reached for her beer and drained it, which impressed the brothers, seeing as she still had more than half the bottle to go. She settled her beer back down on the red table top with a loud thunk, took a deep breath, then looked up at the boys.

"Which one?" She asked her, clearing her throat when her question came out as a frightened croak.

"Judo-Christian." Dean answered as if it were nothing and Adelaide nodded her head.

"Ooo, tons of fun." She said with a tight smile, but to Sam, it looked like she was about to cry. Adelaide squeezed her hands into fists and took a few deep breaths through her nose to try and calm herself down. The Winchesters didn't look as frightened as she felt, so she needed to keep her cool. With a shaky laugh she reached for more fries. "How'd you manage that?" She asked casually, but as she raised the food to her mouth, they all noticed her hand was shaking. She dropped the fries and crossed her arms to keep her body from betraying her.

"It's stopping it that's the problem." Dean said casually, though she thought she detected a faint hint of worry in his voice. They could act as cavalier as they liked, but it was clear that she wasn't the only one afraid of what was coming. She smiled weakly across at him and raised her eyebrows.

"You're trying to stop the Apocalypse?" She summarised, somewhat doubtfully. She reached for her beer again and raised it to her lips. When she realised it was empty, she shook the bottle and tutted in annoyance. She raised her hand to catch their waitress's attention and pointed to her beer. "Three more, please." She ordered and Britney nodded, her red curls swishing about her shoulders. She turned back to the brothers and blew out a calming breath. "Blimey, you dream big, eh?" Dean nodded with a smile.

"It's a blast." Adelaide smiled back but they could see her façade was beginning to slip. Sam was a little worried. They really shouldn't be telling her if she was only going to panic, but Adelaide seemed to be keeping a pretty good lid on her anxiety, despite the drastic circumstances.

"Sounds it." She replied, but her voice cracked slightly. She looked down at the table and shook her head. The Apocalypse was coming to town and all that was stopping it were two brothers. She felt like she should be warning people, telling them to run as fast as they can, but where to? She bit her lip. All she'd had to worry about today was the vengeful spirit and what to have for lunch, but now… The Apocalypse. "How… How are you even going to…? I don't…" She tried to ask, but her voice came out strangled. Sam shook his head.

"Us neither." He told her. She thought perhaps he was trying to sound reassuring but the fact that they didn't know what they were doing was a little frightening. The waitress suddenly reappeared by their table with three beers and another wink for Dean and then was gone again in a whirl of skirt. Adelaide sighed and straightened up in her seat.

"Well, here's to you and one hell of a party." She said, raising her bottle. The two brothers raised theirs as well and clinked the necks together.

"Cheers." Sam muttered before they all took a long drink. Adelaide sat back in her seat and played with the label on her beer.

"So, fire and brimstone, that kind of deal?" She asked absently. Dean laughed,

"Ho ho, yeah." He muttered scornfully. "The angels are real dicks as well." Adelaide's head shot up, her eyes wide.

"Angels?" She repeated dumbly. "_Angel_ angels?" Sam smiled. He'd probably looked the same way when Dean had first told him about Castiel and the others. "With wings and halos and 'do not be afraid' and all that jazz?" Dean shrugged and took another sip of his drink.

"Take away the halo and you've got yourself our biggest problem." He told her with a roll of his eyes. Adelaide leaned her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands.

"Bloody hell. Angels are real." She mumbled to herself. Dean noted her surprise and put it down to the fact that most hunters were not religious.

"Not part of the God squad then?" He asked and Adelaide shrugged.

"Well, I am, sorta." She told them, much to their surprise. "I was raised to be." She started to chew her lip thoughtfully and raised her chin off her hands, choosing to cross her arms instead. "I suppose I believe in God and all that but I never really bought the whole no sex, no fun, turning people into salt kind of thing that a lot of people try to sell as Christianity." She smiled slightly at the thought. "I suppose I always thought, you know, be kind, be merciful, be forgiving blah blah blah. That's my interpretation anyway." She tilted her head to one side questioningly. "So there _is_ a God?"

"Uh huh. But he's, uh, well, a pretty absent father." Dean replied and Sam nodded faintly. Adelaide frowned,

"What do you mean?"

"He's gone. No one knows where." Dean told her. He wasn't entirely sure they should be telling her all this, but she seemed trustworthy enough. And besides, if she could offer any advice, it would be very well-received. "The angels are going crazy, some are even trying to jump start the end of days crap." Adelaide snorted derisively.

"Fantastic." She muttered and reached for another fry. She popped it into her mouth and grimaced when it was stone cold. But she was starving and continued to chew anyway. Then she had a thought. "I don't wanna sound rude, but why is it that _you _are the ones who've gotta sort it out?" The boys looked at each other again and Adelaide began to wonder if they had some sort of brotherly telepathy. Sam pursed his lips and clasped his hands around his bottle tightly.

"We're kind of a part of it." He told her quietly. Adelaide's forehead creased into a frown. Why did they look so sullen? What could Sam possibly mean by that? How could these hunters be a part of the damn Apocalypse? These were just a couple of the thousands of question buzzing around her head and it was obviously clear she was about to ask them because Dean cleared his throat.

"But that doesn't really matter." He suddenly said, giving his brother a pointed look. Sam nodded and glanced down at his watch. He was surprised at how late it had gotten. They'd been sat talking with Adelaide for a couple of hours and now that they'd iced the spirit, they really should hit the road. They were headed up to Bobby's next and he didn't care for being woken up in the middle of the night.

"Speaking of, we better get going." He said, politely excusing him and his brother. Adelaide shook her head and smiled at them both as they exited the booth.

"Oh, yeah, sure." She waved off his apologetic smile with one hand. Dean threw down a few ten dollar bills and Sam offered a couple of dollars tip for their good, if flirtatious, waitress. Adelaide tutted and picked one of the notes up from the table and handed it back to Dean before pulling her own money from her pocket and placing that down instead. Dean rolled his eyes good-naturedly and they began to walk out of the diner, but not before Dean got blown a kiss by Britney. Once outside, they began to walk to the car park across the street together.

"It was nice meeting you." Sam told her, shaking her hand warmly. Adelaide smiled back.

"Yeah, you too." She replied as she shook Dean's hand. "Give us a bell if you ever need anything, okay?" She told them and they both nodded.

"Okay, short stuff." Dean teased and Adelaide huffed angrily.

"Shut your face." She told him with a light punch to his arm. Dean pretended to be hurt by her violent action and Adelaide had to laugh.

"Bye." He said eventually and Adelaide raised a hand in farewell.

"See ya." She replied. They began to walk away to their car, a black chevy, just like Dean said, that looked a little worse for wear but still gorgeous. She sighed and watched her breath condensate in the icy air. She suddenly realised how cold it was and pulled her old jacket around her tighter, her hands dug deep into the pockets. As she stood watching the two brothers arguing about something, she couldn't help but feel sorry for them. They seemed like such nice people and they were suffering under such a heavy burden. She realised she wanted to help them in some way. No one should face the Apocalypse alone. She wanted to help, but how? "Wait!" She suddenly called, just as Sam and Dean were settling into their seats. Then she was running over to their car. Dean frowned out the window and elbowed his brother who also looked over at her. She reached the car just as they were getting out again. "I want in." She breathed, suddenly feeling a lot warmer than she had a few minutes ago, either with embarrassment or excitement, she didn't know. Dean frowned down at her in confusion,

"What?"

"If you guys are gonna save the world, you're going to need some help." She told them with a bright smile. But Dean shook his head,

"Look, Adelaide, that's nice of you but-"

"But nothing." She told him abruptly. She stared down the two men and pulled her hands out of her pockets. "I told you, I became a hunter because I wanted to help people and because it was an adventure. But mostly because it would be something extraordinary in an ordinary world. And this, helping you, definitely comes under extraordinary."

"Adelaide-"

"You can't just leave me with this." She interrupted Sam. She shook her head, her messy blonde hair reflecting the bright light from the street lamps. "What if you don't succeed? The whole world's gonna end and I'll be…" She trailed off at the thought and she shook her head again. "Please, let me help you." There was silence for a moment as the brothers once again looked to each other. Adelaide waited with baited breath, her determined expression still in place. Dean finally turned back to her and twisted his lip thoughtfully. Then, much to her relief, he smiled.

"Get in." He told her, nodding towards the Impala. Adelaide grinned brightly back at them and nodded.

"Thank you." She told them earnestly. Sam laughed and moved towards the car.

"Yeah, well, I call shotgun." He told her, to which Adelaide snorted.

"Oh, I'm not getting in there." She said. She realised that had come out quite a lot ruder than she'd meant it and Dean looked offended. She reached forward and patted the car lovingly with an apologetic smile that made the older brother roll his eyes. "You think I walked here? I'll follow on behind." She told them, before she turned on her heel and strode across the car park. Dean turned to his brother and shrugged before they both got back into the car. Dean twisted his key into the ignition and smiled faintly at the rumbling growl his baby gave as she came to life. He reversed expertly out of their space and headed towards the exit. They heard a car honking behind them and they both looked into their mirrors to see Adelaide behind the wheel of a red Ford Capri that had certainly seen better days. Dean laughed as they waved to her and continued out of the car park, onto the main road that led to the highway.

"I like her." He told Sam who shook his head.

"This is gonna be interesting." He told his brother who laughed and turned up the ACDC blasting through the speakers. Behind them with her fingers gripping the steering wheel and the reality of her situation sinking in, Adelaide was taking three deep breaths.

"Apocalypse." She said aloud to her empty car. "A-poc-a-lypse. Apocalypse." She took another deep breath and looked in the mirror at herself. She wiped the bottom of her right eye where her make-up had smudged a little and gave herself a determined smile. "Alright then." She said and stepped on the accelerator.


	3. Chapter 3

The two cars pulled up outside the old house at about two in the morning. Adelaide groaned and pulled the brake down weakly. Being a hunter had its good points, like being able to help people on a daily basis, but the non-existent sleeping pattern was a definite downer. She clambered out of the car, slamming the door with a hard tug. She winced slightly at the loud noise. The long car drive had started a small headache at the back of her skull and any loud, sudden noises were not welcome. She looked around at the old scrapyard and wrinkled her nose. The place was like a motoring graveyard, with pile upon pile of scrap metal, old parts and about fifty or so cars, from what she could see. She turned away from the almost melancholy sight and saw Sam and Dean grabbing their bags out of the boot of their car and making their way towards the house. Adelaide quickly moved to her own car and pulled out her bag. She followed after them, clenching and unclenching her fists from where she'd strained them by gripping the steering wheel too tight. Adelaide smiled at Sam as she fell in step beside him, although at a much more frantic pace due to the frankly ridiculous height difference.

"This your place?" She asked him and he shook his head.

"Belongs to a friend of ours." He explained and Adelaide returned her attention to the older brother who had reached the old door. She tried not to look surprised when Dean didn't bother knocking, choosing instead to push open the creaking door as if he owned the place. Adelaide let Sam and Dean enter first, taking one last furtive glance over her shoulder before she too stepped inside. With her heavy bag flung over one strong shoulder, she followed the brothers with trepidation as they made their way through the house. The old wooden floorboards creaked underfoot and Adelaide couldn't help but look around curiously. The walls and shelves of this foreign house were lined with hunting gear. Guns, shells and little tin boxes that she assumed were filled with gun powder were only a few of the things she managed to note before Sam led her away.

"Bobby!" Dean's loud shout made Adelaide jump. The older brother was looking in all the rooms that came off the hallway they were walking down. He'd poke his head though the doorway, shout what she guessed was the owner of the house's name, then walk to the next door. Sam gestured for Adelaide to follow him and they continued down the hallway, taking a left. Floorboard quickly turned to soft, old carpet and Adelaide felt a lot more at ease. They stood in a library of sorts. Shelves full of hunter equipment, some she recognised, some she didn't, lined these walls too, and a big wooden desk sat up against the wall. There was an flea-bitten sofa by the widow and she could just about see the edge of a demon trap poking out from under the rug. Yes, this was definitely a hunter's house, and a good one too. She looked to Sam and awkwardly lifted up her bag full of her only possessions.

"Where should I..?" She asked and Sam shrugged and shook his head, gesturing around the large room.

"Anywhere's good." He said and Adelaide thanked him. She looked around a little more before deciding to drop her bag by the foot of the old sofa, where it would be out of the way.

"Bobby!" Dean continued to call out for the man, whoever he was, ducking in and out of sight. "Bobby!"

"Quit your yellin' and get your asses in here!" The new voice made Adelaide look up. It was an older, gruff voice with a distinct accent, coming from the next room. Dean finally met them in the library but continued through to the adjoining room, what looked like a kitchen. Adelaide raised her eyebrows at Sam,

"He sounds charming, can't wait to meet him." She said sarcastically and Sam laughed.

"You get used to him." He promised her, although Adelaide wasn't so sure. As they drew closer to the kitchen, she could hear Dean speaking with the man, Bobby, but when they finally entered the room, the murmuring stopped. Adelaide looked to Sam and saw his jaw was tight. He knew what they had been talking about and they hadn't involved him. Again. Adelaide stopped herself from wondering what was dividing the brothers, something that had nothing to do with her, and focused on this new man. Bobby was maybe in his fifties, with a full beard and a blue cap pulled down over his head. He wore a battered brown jacket and a pair of jeans and was sitting in a wheelchair, the only thing in his house that wasn't as old or older than he was. He nodded to Sam but didn't smile.

"Good, you're back. Listen, I-" He stopped when he finally noticed Adelaide, who was edging awkwardly around Sam so that she could see everyone better. Bobby narrowed his eyes at her and turned to Dean. "And who's this?" He asked. Adelaide was suddenly very nervous. She felt like she shouldn't be here. She'd just met two guys in an old building, killed a spirit and had dinner with them, then tagged along in their mission to stop the Apocalypse. Not a normal Friday night. She took a deep breath and gave him a weak smile.

"Adelaide Kingsley." She introduced herself. "We met in Rochester. I'm-"

"I know a hunter when I see one." He interrupted her. He didn't seem angry or confused, just curious, which made Adelaide relax a considerable amount. "Whatcha doin' here?"

"She's gonna help us with the whole Apocalypse thing." Dean explained. Bobby turned back to her and raised his eyebrows.

"Is she now?" He said slowly, looking the girl up and down sceptically.

"Yes, _she_ is." Adelaide bit back, not liking the way he was so quickly dismissing her. Sam sighed exasperatedly. He was obviously used to a lot of criticism as well, especially being the younger brother. He knew how she felt and Adelaide found herself warming to Sam a little more.

"Bobby, c'mon, we need all the help we can get." He pressed and Bobby sighed, waving away Sam's unnecessary persistence.

"I know, I know." He said and Adelaide assumed that meant she was allowed to stay. Bobby gave her a half smile, raising his eyebrows, and Adelaide was relieved at the change of character. She smiled faintly back as he put his hands on the wheels of his chair and pushed himself out of the kitchen, into the library. "I just hope you know what you're gettin' yourself in for." He added, his light tone making the dark words simultaneously reassuring and troubling. Adelaide chewed her lip and followed the two brothers back into the library.

"She'll soon find out." She heard Dean mutter and Adelaide grew even more nervous. She immediately shook it off though, because Sam was looking at her.

"That's ominous." She joked, letting the younger brother know that she hadn't been too put down by their words. Bobby wheeled himself behind the large desk and began to sort out the frankly disastrous mess of papers that sat on top of it. Dean, Sam and Adelaide stood in front of the desk, looking a bit like they'd been called into the headmaster's office, waiting for instructions. Bobby cleared his throat and interlocked his fingers on top of the desk.

"Alrighty then."

Half an hour later, after much deliberation, it was decided that it was far too late (early) to do anything now, so they should all 'get some shut-eye and hope nothin' too damn Apocalypsey happens'. Adelaide, who had been so consumed by the worry of working with people she didn't know, the fear of the world ending and the excitement of fighting to stop it, had completely forgotten about the little things, like where she would be sleeping. Bobby, she was told, now took the sofa in the library, so she could have his old room. But Sam had shook his head at that. He had kindly given up his room, it being the cleanest, so that Adelaide didn't have to sleep in the room of a man she had just met half an hour ago. As she sat on the pristine covers of Sam's bed, Adelaide thought about her new comrades. Sam was obviously kind and thoughtful, but she thought perhaps there was something more to him that they weren't telling her. What had Dean and Bobby been whispering about before she and Sam had entered the room? She put that thought to the back of her mind for when she wasn't completely exhausted. She wasn't worried about Sam's kind gestures towards her. She knew they were strictly platonic, not like his brother's. Dean was flirty and rough around the edges, but secretly quite sweet. She knew he cared deeply about his brother and Bobby, who he had referred to as Uncle, but she knew it wasn't a blood relation. Bobby seemed grumpy but kind. She knew she would eventually warm to him, and him to her. But for now, she decided to keep a respectful distance and try not say anything too stupid around him. That was her last thought before she fell back onto the pillows, not bothering to get changed and fell right to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, the sun shone brilliantly through one of the dirty windows of her borrowed room. Adelaide groaned and turned over on the bed, shielding her closed eyes. She dragged herself slowly out of bed, wincing slightly as her joints cracked. A quick shower and a much needed change of clothes later, she was downstairs in the kitchen. Sam handed her a piece of toast that she gladly accepted and began to devour hungrily as she walked into the library to listen to Dean and Bobby talking.

"So, uh, is there a plan, or are we just…" She trailed off uncertainly, flapping her free hand and flopping unceremoniously onto the squashy sofa. Dean laughed, tilting his head and looking at the floor.

"We're pretty much as clueless as you are." He told her honestly and Adelaide nodded slowly, pursing her lips.

"Fantastic." She mumbled, taking another bite of her toast.

"All we know is, we need to kill Lucifer. And the only way we're gonna do that is with the Colt." Adelaide raised her eyebrows and turned her head to Sam who had finally entered the room and joined the conversation.

"Mind filling me in?" She asked with a smile as Sam sat down on the edge of a small table across the room.

"Lucifer wants to destroy the world, heaven wants to stop him, cue awkward family reunion with catastrophic consequences." He explained plainly before beginning to eat his own breakfast. Dean tried not to smile at Adelaide's reaction. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly open in shock. Eventually she seemed to shake herself out of her surprised state and vaguely nodded her head.

"Okie dokie." She replied quietly, turning her attention once again to her breakfast.

"The Colt, this gun, is one of the only things that can kill him." Sam continued. He looked to Dean and grimaced. "We hope." He added. Adelaide looked up and frowned at the three men.

"This plan seems a little half-arsed." She told them. The blank and somewhat offended looks she got back told her she should elucidate. She finished her toast with one more bite and brushed off her hands. "So, we need to find a gun that may or may not kill the devil and we have no idea where it is?" If the first half of the plan didn't sound ridiculously risky on its own, the second half really brought the whole thing together.

"Oh, we know where it is." Dean told her. The tone of his voice gave her the impression that wherever it was, it wasn't good. She looked to each man in turn.

"Oh, great." She said hopefully. When she saw their grim expressions, she bit her lip. "Not great?" She corrected herself and Sam chuckled.

"It just so happens the King of the Crossroads has it." He told her and Adelaide blew out a long breath.

"Wonderful." She mumbled as she ran a hand through her still slightly damp hair. Dean frowned. There was recognition in her voice.

"You've heard of Crowley?" He checked. Adelaide looked to him and nodded slowly, proving him right.

"Oh, yes. Yes, I have." She said slowly. She thought back to her travels across this country and remembered one man in particular. He'd been around fifty or so, and she had met him in a bar. He'd sat down and told her this long story about how he had sold his soul so that his son could get into college. He'd regretted it almost instantly because his son got a scholarship. He hadn't needed the demon deal. But now his ten years were up. Adelaide hadn't known what to do. When you make a deal with a demon, there's no going back. So she had bought the man another beer and sat and talked to him till his time was up. No one deserved to die alone, no matter how stupid their deal was. Adelaide grimaced at the memory and bowed her head. "Met someone who was on the run from him, once." She summarised. Then she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, of course, he wasn't running for very long." She added.

"So you know how hard this is gonna be." Said Sam, leaning forward in his seat on top of the little table. Adelaide smiled briefly and nodded. Then she sighed, stood and clapped her hands together.

"Well, let's get on with it then." She said, raising her eyebrows at the men. "Where is he?"

"I'm working on that." A deep voice suddenly said behind her. Adelaide turned around to find a man standing in the kitchen. She stepped back in surprise, he definitely hadn't been there a few seconds ago. He had dark, scruffy hair and bright blue eyes, and he wore a suit under a long trench coat. He was looking at her intently and Adelaide found she couldn't look away from him, almost like she was drawn to him.

"Cas." Dean's voice broke her from her daze.

"Does he live here too?" She guessed nervously, not liking how still and silent this new man was. He stood solitaire in the kitchen, as if waiting to be invited into the library.

"God, no." She heard Bobby mutter and she frowned at him. Bobby, although gruff, seemed more accommodating than most. So who was this stranger if the older hunter was so wary of him? Dean slid off his seat on top of Bobby's desk and walked to the man. He smiled at him in a friendly way and put an arm around his shoulder, patting his back as he led him into the room. So there were close, good friends. Adelaide was still unsure as to how he could have crept in here without her knowing. Bobby's floors creaked like an old man's bones, she certainly would have heard his footsteps. And if that wasn't enough, her experience as a hunter had fine-tuned her ears. Dean led Cas to her and started to introduce them.

"Cas, this is-" But Cas interrupted him, his eyes never leaving the woman's.

"Adelaide Kingsley." He stated. His deep voice had a gravely quality to it that Adelaide couldn't help but blush over. But the fact that this stranger knew her name and the way he was looking at her was unnerving to say the least.

"How do you know that?" She asked him quietly, her smile turning to a frown. Cas tilted his head to one side as if trying to work her out and Adelaide couldn't help but be reminded of the way the spirit of the drowned woman had looked at her the other night. She had to suppress a shudder.

"The angels were talking about you." He told her, then he returned his attention to the others in the room. Sam looked somewhat relieved to see him whilst Bobby just looked exasperated. Adelaide still had no idea who this guy was and why he was here, but Dean seemed to trust him and that was enough for her. "They know you have acquired a new member to your…" The man looked around at them all slowly before turning back to Dean. "Army." He finished noncommittally.

"But I just got here." Adelaide spoke up and Cas turned to her again.

"They watch closely." He told her darkly, and Adelaide suddenly felt very nervous. She'd only just found out that angels actually existed and now they were watching her? She discreetly looked skyward then gritted her teeth, looking down again. She suddenly felt very aware of herself, her actions and more worryingly, her thoughts. Could angels read minds?

"So, you know them then? The angels?" She cautiously asked Cas. If she was going to get any answers, it would be from him. He seemed to know the most about her feathered stalkers.

"He _is_ one." Sam told her and Adelaide had to take a step back.

"W-what?" She managed to get out, her head turning to the dark-haired man. No. There way no way. He was just a guy. A guy in a long coat. There was no way he was an angel. Well, at least not like she had imagined. Angels were little and cute with wings and curly blonde hair, like in the paintings. This guy looked like… Well, he was hot. There was no way there could be hot angels. Cas turned to her and bowed his head slightly.

"My name is Castiel. I am an angel of the Lord." He introduced himself properly and Adelaide snorted.

"Fuck off." She breathed, not believing him. Castiel frowned slightly at her profanity and turned to Dean for answers. Most people, when they found out who he was, didn't act like that. There was usually crying, laughing, praying, running… But never had he been sworn at.

"I don't- That's not…" He looked helplessly as Dean who could only shrug his shoulders. Then Adelaide started to move towards him. She slowly reached out a hand and Castiel grew nervous. "Why are you..?" Interaction, especially touching, made him nervous. Adelaide placed her hand over his chest and found that the man had a heartbeat. She frowned curiously and began to circle him. She had grown up believing in angels, but never did she think she would ever meet one.

"So, where are your wings? Or is that stupid question?" She asked as she came full circle and was facing him again. Castiel seemed a lot more comfortable now that he could see her and she was talking to him normally. He still wasn't completely fluent in all of Earth's colloquialisms and other such subtleties, but he knew straight talk.

"Humans cannot perceive them, your senses are too dull." He explained bluntly, not meaning to sound rude but managing it anyway. Adelaide raised her eyebrows and laughed a little.

"Cheers." She replied and Castiel frowned. Dean stepped in before anything else weird could happen between the two.

"Why're you here, Cas?" He asked, eyeing Adelaide worriedly. She had just found out that angels exist and now she was meeting one in the flesh whilst planning to save the world. That was enough to fry anyone's brain, for sure, but she looked calmer now that the attention wasn't on her.

"I've decided… We're going to need more help." The angel told them. Dean frowned. That seemed like a reasonable enough thing to say, so why was Cas looking so nervous all of a sudden.

"What, you mean we're not enough?" Bobby piped up from behind his desk. He was reading from a heavy book, not really that interested in what the angel had to say.

"No. Obviously." Castiel replied, not recognising Bobby's sarcastic tone. He turned back to Dean but looked down at the floor. "I want… I want to ask Gabriel if he'll help us." He admitted. Dean blanched and Sam stood up angrily.

"What? That douchebag!" Now Adelaide knew why Cas had looked so nervous. She would be too if she knew she'd get that kind of reaction.

"Who's Gabriel?" She asked, feeling once again, out of the loop. The boys were talking angrily to the angel, so Bobby stepped in.

"I'm pretty sure you know him." He told her, smiling slightly. Adelaide frowned.

"Eh?" She replied, not understanding what he meant.

"He may be… Difficult." Castiel admitted. "But there is no denying that the power of an archangel would add great strength to our offence." Adelaide was beyond confusion now.

"Archangel?" She repeated, more to herself than the bickering trio.

"No. No way. He made our lives hell!" Sam shouted, bringing her back to Earth.

"He killed me, like, a billion times!" Added Dean for good measure. Adelaide looked to Bobby who nodded. She thought for a moment and began to put two and two together. Dean said they'd had trouble with angels in the past. Gabriel, the archangel Gabriel, had obviously been one of the 'dicks' they had mentioned. But how could an angel be so cruel? He was supposed to be the one who announced Jesus' birth and all that. How could he possibly have killed Dean?

"Like I said, I know he can be difficult, but he will be a powerful asset." Castiel pressed. Neither side wanted to back down and it looked like Bobby didn't want to get involved, so it was Adelaide who spoke up.

"I'm all for it." She said suddenly, stepping forward to join the discussion.

"What?" Dean cried. Adelaide raised her chin, not one for backing down easily.

"Well, it's like you said. We need all the help we can get." She reminded him. That seemed to take care of Dean, so she turned her attention to Sam. "And if Gabriel's willing to help us out, we should definitely let him." Sam laughed scornfully and looked to Castiel.

"_Is_ he willing?" He asked and the angel looked uncomfortable.

"Um." He murmured, looking down at the ground awkwardly. Adelaide looked round when Bobby closed his book with a heavy thud and slammed it down on his desk.

"Oh, great!" He cried. "So I'm gonna have to trap an angel now, am I?" Dean smiled slightly at their friend's irritable I-have-to-do-everything-around-here attitude.

"It's alright, we've done it before." He told the older man in an attempt to calm him down. Bobby grumbled and began to wheel himself out from behind his desk and into the kitchen.

"Fine. But you do it outside." He said, sounding like a tired mother talking to her son. "The last damn thing we trapped in my house caused all sortsa trouble." He muttered to himself, but loud enough for them to hear how annoyed he was. Adelaide shared a smile with Dean then raised her eyebrows.

"Is that a yes?" She asked and Dean sighed exasperatedly. He looked to Sam and they seemed to silently come to a decision. Dean looked back to her then Castiel and sighed again.

"Fine." He muttered, turning away from their conversation in defeat. He looked tired, but Sam looked angry. She wondered briefly why he was so anti-archangel, but she left that thought for later when Sam gave her a tight smile. While the Winchesters wondered off to collect all that they would need to summon the archangel then trap him, Adelaide turned to Castiel.

"So, Gabriel. What's he like?" She asked him. Castiel still looked a little wary of her, but he answered her question all the same.

"He's… Trying." He told her and she smiled slightly. "He spends most of his time interrupting the lives of humans and causing mischief." He looked thoughtful then nodded. "Yes, mischief is a good word for it." He confirmed. Adelaide couldn't help but grin.

"I like him already."


	4. Chapter 4

Adelaide watched interestedly as Dean and Sam cleared a wide space for their guest. They were standing around the back of Bobby's house. They'd moved far enough away from Dean and Adelaide's beloved cars so that neither of them would be damaged if Gabriel felt like being overdramatic with his arrival. Dean was digging around in his duffel bag and Sam was laying out a variety of items on a creaky wooden work bench, things they would need to trap the angel, then defend themselves if things went sideways. Adelaide studied the various items and tried not to look as worried as she felt. She didn't want the Winchesters to think that she was weak, she could fend for herself without their help.

"So, what exactly is happening now?" She called to Dean, who was marking out a perfect circle with the heel of his shoe. The trap was a couple of meters away from the house, out in the open. There would be no room for any of Gabriel's usual tricks.

"Cas is gonna call his brother." He replied as he completed the circle. He jerked his head towards the angel, who was staring off into the distance, not helping set up the trap. Adelaide had been assured that Cas's blank, thoughtful silences were normal and not something she should question. Happy that the circle was big enough, Dean turned and walked back to them. "And we're gonna trap him." Adelaide admired the simplicity of the plan, but didn't have much confidence in how it would pan out.

"Okay." She nodded in understanding. "How?" Dean reached the workbench that Sam was leaning over and picked up a large jug his brother had placed on the splintered wood. He felt the weight of it in his hand, glancing up at Adelaide then back down to the jug.

"Angel trap." He said simply. Adelaide raised her eyebrows, even though she knew neither of them could see her. She'd never heard of such a thing. Hell, she hadn't even known angels were the real deal until yesterday. How could an angel possibly be trapped? And how did the Winchesters know so much about this kind of thing? Dean looked up and saw her sceptical look. He smiled slightly and raised the large clay jug. It looked archaic, like it had just been pulled from an ancient tomb. There was even still a heavy layer of dust on the clay, obscuring its colour and any pattern that had been carved into it. He held it out for her to take a look at. "Circle of holy oil on the ground then," He raised his lighter in the other hand and grinned. "Boom. You've caught yourself a feathered freak." Adelaide took the jug from Dean and peered inside. The contents didn't seem that holy, or special in any way come to think of it. But if it did the job.

"How many times have you done this before?" Adelaide inquired as she handed the jug carefully back to Dean, who placed it down again on the table. The older brother opened his mouth to reply to her, but it was Bobby Singer's voice that answered her question.

"Don't worry, your ladyship. Everything's gonna be fine." Bobby's call came from inside the house where he was busy looking through a ton of old books and generally being grumpy. Adelaide looked round and saw the old man through the library's open window. She crossed her arms over chest and scoffed.

"Your ladyship?" She repeated crossly. Dean watched her march into the house with a slight smirk. There was the slight fluttering of wings and he looked up. Cas was standing in front of the table, looking down at the ingredients for their trap with a thoughtful expression.

"Are you ready?" He asked quietly. If Dean didn't know him any better, he'd say he looked nervous. Instead of questioning the angel, he looked to Sam then back to him with a nod.

"As we'll ever be."

Adelaide entered the old library and spotted Bobby in the kitchen. She carefully walked to the doorway, trying not to fall over any of the piles of books that sat on the carpet. She leaned on the door frame with her arms crossed and worked up the courage to talk to the older man who had his back to her. She had a few questions that she'd been meaning to ask him when she managed to get him on his own.

"Listen, Bobby, I have to ask…" She enquired tentatively. When Bobby only grunted in reply, she cleared her throat and continued. "What's up with Sam and Dean?" She asked, starting to chew on her lip, a nervous habit of hers. "I mean, I can understand wanting to stop the end of days and all that but…" She shrugged, taking a deep breath and sighing. It was difficult talking so openly about this with an almost stranger, but she needed to know. "There's something they're not telling me." She said finally. She heard Bobby sigh and he wheeled himself around. The lip chewing increased when she saw the frown etched onto his face. But, never one to be intimidated easily, she stood up straight and matched his stern gaze. "Why is it _their_ job?" She finished firmly, crossing her arms and jutting her chin. Bobby kept her gaze for a second more before sighing and turning away. He reached up and pulled three thick, leather-bound books down from the kitchen counter.

"You ask a lot of questions." He muttered as he placed the books on his lap. Adelaide allowed herself a small smile at that but hid it as soon as Bobby looked up at her again. "Well," He began in a tone that sounded tired, but was actually hiding a deep-seated worry. "It's been decided that Sam is the one true vessel of Lucifer himself." Adelaide's lips parted slowly, her brow furrowed. She hadn't expected that. Bobby, who was a surprisingly patient man, waited for the news to settle in. Her wide blue eyes blinked slowly, like she'd been dazed.

"I'm sorry?" She breathed. Bobby grunted again and smiled humourlessly.

"Oh, it gets better." He promised as he began to leaf through one of the heavy books. "Dean is the chosen vessel of Michael, the archangel." By the now, the information had sunk in. She didn't know why she was still surprised by the things that came out of Bobby and the Winchesters' mouths, but she still couldn't help herself from blowing out a long breath of surprise.

"Fuck." She muttered, to which Bobby snorted derisively.

"That about sums up the situation." He agreed, beginning to wheel himself out of the kitchen. Adelaide stepped aside out of the doorway so Bobby could pass. "So, not only do they have to stop Luci and Mikey bringing their epic battle to Earth, they also have to keep out of their way. You see, the angel's gotta have your permission before it possesses you." Adelaide frowned at that. That didn't sound right at all. She followed Bobby into the library and stood in front of his desk.

"Possesses? Like demons?" She asked curiously. Bobby nodded, still turning the dusty pages of one of the books. This one had intricate carvings on the cover that she didn't recognise and a lot of the content was in a language no one had spoken for centuries.

"Exactly." Bobby agreed. He looked up and nodded towards the window. "Castiel out there is wearing a Sales Provider for AM radio." He told her. "He's his true vessel." Adelaide raised her eyebrows and looked in the direction he'd indicated. Outside, the boys were busy filling the circle Dean had drawn with holy oil whilst Cas watched on curiously. To think that the person she was looking at was not a man, but an angel squashed into the shape of one… It was mind-blowing. Then she found herself asking a question without her brain giving the order.

"Does he mind? The Sales Provider?" She heard Bobby scoff and she turned away from the window.

"He didn't have much choice from what I heard." He told her and Adelaide's expression dropped into a grimace. She thought Cas was a nice guy, if a little severe. She was surprised that he had been so ruthless with the poor human man. "Dean told me the guy was dying and asked Cas to take over." Bobby continued, not noticing her shift in mood. "He didn't want his daughter to spend eternity as an angel's vessel, so he volunteered." Adelaide suddenly felt very sad. Looking out at the three men in the scrapyard, focusing on the one who was only shaped like man, her chest felt tight with grief. For the man, his daughter and for the life he left behind.

"Wow, brave guy." She said eventually, having to talk quietly so that Bobby didn't hear her voice crack. Bobby only hummed in reply, his book far more interesting than her miserable thoughts. Adelaide took a deep breath and shook her head, ridding herself of her melancholy state. She turned away from the window once more and stood in front of Bobby's desk, resting her hands on the smooth wood. "So, Dean and Sam just have to say no and we're golden, right?" She asked in a much more upbeat and hopeful tone. But Bobby shook his head.

"It's not as easy as all that." He told her, placing one book and down and picking up another in its place. This one had a leather cover and while the words were made up of the standard alphabet, it was in yet another language she didn't know. "Some of the angels have persuasive techniques that ain't so angelic." Adelaide pulled a face.

"Bloody hell." She noted eloquently and Bobby laughed. She was momentarily proud of herself that she'd made the old man laugh, but she couldn't relish it for long. Singer wheeled himself out from behind the desk and towards the side door.

"C'mon, they should be ready by now." He told her and Adelaide dutifully followed on behind. As she stepped out into the gorgeous sunlight of a midday afternoon in Sioux Falls, Adelaide suddenly felt nervous. It was bad enough that she was in the presence of three men she didn't really know, but now she was helping to summon an archangel, of all things. She knew she could defend herself, she knew she could hold her own, but the kind of power they were up against was unparalleled, like nothing she'd ever known. Dean looked around at her and smiled, making her feel a little less anxious. She watched silently as Dean took out his lighter, the one he had used to kill the vengeful spirit, and flicked the lid. He glanced at Cas and nodded. The angel nodded back and closed his eyes slowly, taking a deep breath. Adelaide thought he must be reaching out to his brother, to Gabriel, wherever he was. Then he opened his eyes again and squared his shoulders. He was coming. Dean looked back to Adelaide and Bobby, who stood side by side, a little further away from the circle than the boys.

"Any second now." He told them gravely. Adelaide could sense the tension seeping out of Sam and Dean. Sam's hands were pulled into tight fists and his brother was toying anxiously with the lighter between his fingers. They were nervous, she would go as far as to say frightened. Adelaide was in the middle of wondering what on Earth she'd gotten herself into, when a peculiar noise interrupted her thoughts. There was the great sound of flapping wings, like a bird taking flight and then… There was a man. He was short, perhaps only an inch or two taller than herself, with brown hair and a smug smile. He had mischievous eyes and he wore a pair of jeans and a dark shirt under a green jacket. He raised his eyebrows, his smirk growing.

"Hello, boys." He greeted them, his clever eyes moving between Dean to Sam. They didn't smile back. The man's gaze drifted to Castiel and his smirk grew into an almost smile. "Castiel, so happy to get your call. I've missed you, baby brother." Cas narrowed his eyes back but didn't say anything. Then Dean flicked on his lighter and dropped it to the ground. A circle of fire immediately erupted around the angel, trapping him. Adelaide nearly jumped back, the suddenness of Dean's actions startling her, but she knew that if she showed any weakness, she'd never prove herself to the boys. Gabriel looked around him at the circle of fire and sighed exhaustedly. "Again? Really?" He muttered.

"Gabriel, we need your help." Cas stated matter-of-factly. The other angel snorted and stuck his hands into his pockets.

"Straight down to business, huh? No 'hello', no 'how've you been, Gabes', no 'wow, you're looking good, what are you doing with your hair these days?'"

"Shut it." Dean barked, making the angel look up, his expression unimpressed.

"Oh, I've really missed you." He drawled sarcastically. Adelaide frowned, her lips pursed. This man, this angel, was not what she had expected. She thought that Gabriel would be a tall, glorious, shining beacon of Godly goodness and this was… Well, he was just a bloke. And quite a rude one at that.

"Who's this?" Adelaide blurted out accidentally. The angel's eyes turned to her now and she suddenly felt very, very small. The man gave her a charming smile and reached out, taking her hand in his and pulling her towards the edge of the circle. Adelaide was so busy focusing on not getting burnt that she hardly noticed the man was speaking to her.

"Hello." He greeted smoothly. "Enchanté, madame." Gabriel raised her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers. Adelaide made a disgruntled noise and frowned, turning her head to the brothers.

"Seriously, who is this?" She asked again, pointing to the man who still had her hand in his. She turned back to Gabriel when he gently let go of her. He smiled broadly as she took a step away from the fire, worried that he would try and reach for her again.

"Gabriel. The name's Gabriel." He introduced himself, giving her a dangerous smirk that she would have found attractive if the circumstances were different. Adelaide took another step back away from the circle and shook her head, a hand covering her lips, the hand he had kissed.

"You can't be _the_ Gabriel?" She whispered, almost to herself. This couldn't be the angel she had learned about as a child, the one her parents had told her all sorts of stories about. He was bloody _flirting_ with her. The angel smiled again and raised his arms grandly.

"The one and only." He said, making Dean roll his eyes.

"Way to feed his ego." He muttered and Adelaide was pulled back from her shock. She glanced at Dean, wincing slightly.

"Sorry." She apologised but Gabriel shook his head.

"Don't be. The whole Messiah business, all down to me." He said proudly. "You should've seen Mary's face! That was a helluva night. You know, she packs quite a punch. Don't know what they're talking about with the whole innocent thing. Woo, she was a firecracker." Adelaide was on the verge of asking him a ton of questions but Dean cut in before she could even open her mouth.

"Shut it, Gabriel." The angel finally dragged his gaze away from Adelaide and fixed the eldest brother with a cold stare.

"Deano, always a pleasure." Then he raised a finger as if something had just occurred to him. "Speaking of, I don't know _your_ name." He smirked, turning back to Adelaide who shifted uncomfortably.

"And you're not gonna." Dean answered for her. Gabriel harrumphed in disapproval.

"What? You jealous? It's alright, you know I'll always have time for you." He drawled lazily, one eyebrow raised. He turned his gaze back to Adelaide, looking at her like he was reading her thoughts. The thought made Adelaide very nervous. Sam chuckled humourlessly.

"Sweet." He commented drily. "Now, the reason you're here-"

"We need your help." Cas interrupted bluntly. Gabriel still had his eyes drawn to Adelaide, to the point where she should feel uncomfortable. But there was something about his gaze that made her feel tranquil, relaxed. It was as if she knew that she had nothing to fear. She was starting to understand why Mary had been so calm about the whole virgin birth thing. Eventually, he pulled his gaze away from her long enough to look to his brother.

"Well, I wish I could say I'm surprised. You two aren't exactly the brightest bulbs in the box." He muttered. Dean rolled his eyes. This meeting was going far too slowly for his liking and being insulted by a guy he already didn't like was not helping his patience.

"We're gonna kill Lucifer." He told the archangel plainly, as if it were no mean feat. Adelaide actually had to hide a smile, the situation _was_ ridiculous. A sharp look from Bobby reminded her of the severity of the scene and she immediately straightened out her face. "And to do that, we need you." Gabriel sighed deeply. Adelaide thought he was far too relaxed for someone standing in the middle of a ring of fire that might kill him.

"Why me?" He groaned, his head lolling back onto his shoulders in exasperation. Adelaide thought she heard Dean swear under his before he moved closer to the circle. He held in his hand a long silver blade that glinted in the bright sunlight. Adelaide's jaw clenched. Were the Winchester's willing to torture Gabriel to get their way? Usually, she would have nothing against it. Torture, in most cases, was a means to an end and whatever you were hurting was a monster, something evil. But she didn't know how she felt about hurting the angel, despite his obnoxious attitude. Wouldn't that incur some kind of divine wrath or something? Then she remembered, no God.

"Because you're an archangel, dumbass!" Dean shouted, trying to look threatening, but unfortunately, it had no effect on the much shorter man. Gabriel only wriggled his eyebrows and smirked again.

"Ouch. Easy there, tiger." He told him. Then he straightened up, his expression growing more serious. He seemed ready to listen now. "What I meant was, you got Castiel, you got demon boy, you got Ol' Man River, and now you got her royal highness, she-who-shall-not-be-named." At the last nickname, he looked to Adelaide and winked shamelessly. She made a disgusted sound and crossed her arms, but that didn't seem to deter the angel. "That's surely enough, isn't it?" He asked as he turned back to Dean.

"You know it's not." He replied shortly. Gabriel sighed dramatically again and shrugged his shoulders.

"The gun. The special gun." He suggested, making a shape with his index finger and thumb and pointing it at Dean. "Kilt? Zolt? Shooty-shooty-gun-thing." He rambled, pretending not to know what it was called just to annoy them. It worked. Sam rolled his eyes,

"The Colt." He said darkly. Gabriel snapped his fingers and looked disappointed in himself.

"So close." He said with a slight smile. Bobby tutted in annoyance.

"We don't have it." He called over to the trio doing most of the conversation. Gabriel nodded at the older man.

"Yeah, I know." He said simply. Then to Dean, "Do you know _where_ it is?" He asked, sounding like a patronising teacher. "Please tell me it's not with the angels." Dean lifted his chin.

"Demons, actually." He replied and Gabriel looked genuinely surprised. Adelaide shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and pulled the material closer around her. The sun had gone behind a cloud and the air had become very cold suddenly.

"Crowley looks after his toys." She offered evenly. Gabriel turned to her and chuckled.

"Ol' Crowley's got his claws in you? Boy, bet that's a hoot and a half." Adelaide snorted,

"Not in me personally, but I hear he's a right laugh." She said, making the angel chuckle again. He had a nice laugh, she decided, before she remembered he was an archangel and a bit of a dick.

"Oh, you have no idea." Gabriel told her, shaking his head in amusement. Then he raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to one side curiously. "And you've been dragged into this why?" Adelaide frowned, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"I wasn't dragged, I volunteered." She retorted defensively, her arms crossing over chest. Gabriel didn't look convinced. He scoffed and gave her that half smile that shouldn't be, but really was quite attractive.

"To fight Heaven and Hell?" He sounded sceptic to say the least but Adelaide wasn't so easily wound up. She leaned her weight on one hip, a faint smile on her lips.

"Oh, yeah. I here it's all kickin' off down under." Gabriel laughed, clapping his hands together. Dean's grip on his blade tightened, it was dangerous enough being around this guy without him getting too interested in them.

"I like her, she's funny." Gabriel told the boys. He ran his eyes up and down her quickly. "Not too bad to look at either. Love that accent by the way, very sexy." Adelaide's smile disappeared instantly. Dean didn't need to look around to know that their new friend was furious.

"Gabriel." He growled, trying to get him to shut up and warn him of the dangerous path he was treading. The archangel raised his eyebrows, feigning innocence.

"I'm only talking." He said sweetly, making Dean's frown deepen.

"We asked you here for a reason, shortass." He stated, his voice rising in anger. Gabriel didn't seem affected by his sharp tone. He only pouted and stuck his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Now we're getting personal? You boys really don't know how asking for favours works, do ya?" He teased, smirking across at the brothers. Then he frowned. "And since when are you begging angels for help anyways?" Adelaide could see the matching angry expressions on the Winchesters' faces and knew that she too was close to snapping. They were wasting valuable time listening to this idiot play with them for his own amusement without getting any information.

"Are you gonna help us or not?" She demanded haughtily. Gabriel turned to her and gave her a patronising smile.

"Patience won't hurt you, sweetheart." He told her gently. This made Adelaide's anger flare even more. If there was anything she hated more than wasted time, it was being called 'sweetheart'.

"It's gonna hurt _you_ in a minute." Warned Adelaide, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing him with her best glare. She was done playing now, but this only seemed to excite Gabriel more.

"Ooh, I like 'em fiery." He cheered, clapping his hands again. He grinned at her. "C'mere, honey." He said and grabbed her arm, pulling her as close to the circle as he could without burning her. He pulled her close and began to murmur in her ear. Dean saw Adelaide grimace and was in the middle of pulling his knife out on the angel when Adelaide gave a shocked cry and pulled her head away. Faster than he could blink, Adelaide pulled back her arm and gave the angel a hard right hook. So hard, it sent him staggering back a step. "Oh! Damn it!" He cried out in shock. Adelaide swore in pain, the blow wouldn't have hurt the angel but it had definitely hurt her. She stepped away from the circle, shaking her hand out. She was pretty sure she'd broken something but she'd worry about that later. She grimaced through the pain and turned to the brothers.

"I'll be inside." She stated angrily. She nodded once and straightened her jacket. "Don't be long." She told them before glancing at the captive angel once more. Then she turned on her heel and stalked past Bobby to the door. The brothers watched her walk away before turning back to the angel, who was scowling as he rubbed his jaw.

"I tried to warn ya." Dean told him with a smug and somewhat proud smile.

Adelaide stormed through the house and into the library. She was furious. When she had signed up to help the Winchesters, she thought she might learn more about her faith and the people she'd been brought up to admire. But now it was like finally meeting ones idol and finding out they're a compete bastard. She bitterly looked down at her right hand, the one she'd used to punch the angel. Stupid move, really. But it had gotten her out of his hold and had certainly made her feel better. Adelaide groaned at the sight of her injuries. A cloud of bruises were starting to appear through her skin, thick purple and green marks that sent pain shooting up her arm when she dared to move her fingers. With her other hand, she gently moved her index and middle fingers and hissed in pain. Broken. Great. She looked up suddenly at the sound of footsteps and smiled slightly when it was Sam who entered the room. He stopped when he saw her hand and looked up at her, asking silently if she was alright. She gave him a small smile and nodded out the window to where she could see Dean, Cas and Bobby were still talking to Gabriel.

"What a dick." She muttered and Sam laughed quietly. She allowed herself a bigger smile and looked down at her hand again. She wouldn't have to go to hospital for this. She'd had much worse. "Is he in then, d'you reckon?" She asked, not that she really cared. She decided that she didn't like Gabriel at all. He was rude and selfish and obnoxious. She trusted him about as far she could throw him.

"Well, punching him probably didn't help sell our case." Sam considered with a smile, making Adelaide feel a bit embarrassed. He sat down on the edge of Bobby's desk, his hands in his pockets. "But, yeah, I think he's in." He finished with a nod. They both looked up at the sound of more footsteps coming down the hall. Adelaide moved away from the door to the other side of the room to accommodate the four people entering. The old library looked a little crowded and just a bit odd, with two angels and four hunters all standing around looking exhausted and annoyed. Gabriel was the only one with a bright smile on his face as he nosily looked around Bobby's house.

"So is there a plan?" He asked conversationally as he picked up a book from Bobby's desk and leafed through it before dropping it again with a thud. He turned to the group and raised his eyebrows. Dean and Sam shared a look before the eldest finally said,

"We're gonna find Crowley." Adelaide scoffed, and suddenly all eyes were on her. She cradled her broken hand, in far too much pain to be embarrassed.

"And how do you suppose we do that?" She asked with expectant eyebrows raised. Dean smirked and walked over to Castiel.

"Luckily, we have our own little guardian angel to help us out with that." He replied, patting the angel heavily on the shoulder. Castiel scowled but Gabriel clapped his hands together, smiling at everyone in turn.

"Wonderful." He commented as if signing off. Then he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "So, I'll be going then." He said. Then he looked directly at Adelaide, his lips pouted thoughtfully. "Unless, of course, you want to punch me again." Adelaide twisted her lip and stepped forward towards the angel. It was no good hiding behind the others.

"Sorry I hit you, that was rude." She told him earnestly. Then she shrugged her shoulders. "But in my defence, you were being a dick." Gabriel's smirk grew into a smile that made Adelaide's chest tighten for some reason. He stood up straight, no longer leaning against the desk and stepped closer to her. He reached out and gently took her hand, the one that he had kissed, the one that she had punched him with. She wanted to pull away, but was afraid that the jerking motion would cause her fingers more pain. He held her hand gently, much to her surprise and soon, her fingers started to feel oddly warm and tingly. She looked up at him with a frown, not noticing how the boys all seemed to be ready to spring into action if he tried anything funny again.

"It's no problem, your majesty." He told her quietly, and she noticed for the first time that his eyes weren't cold and mischievous, but warm and a strange gold colour that made her never want to look away. Then suddenly, he let go of her hand and stepped back. The moment was gone, his expression once again impish. "See you around." He told her with a wink. There was the sound of a great pair of wings flapping and the angel blinked away. Adelaide let out a long breath she didn't know she'd been holding and looked down at her hand. The angry purple bruises were gone, and when she tried, she could easily move her fingers. She looked up to the spot where Gabriel had vanished and smiled slightly. She sent him a quick prayer of thanks in her head, whether he received it or not, she didn't know, but that didn't matter. She looked to the Winchesters and Bobby and raised her eyebrows.

"Crowley?"

"Crowley."


	5. Chapter 5

The Impala was parked by a lake, surrounded by lush green grass and supple trees that were beginning to brown. Sam sat on the hood of the old car, watching Dean over his shoulder. Adelaide was leaning against the side of their vehicle, staring out across the lake, thinking about what they were about to try and accomplish. Castiel was, at that moment, tracking the demon Crowley, who was busy making a deal. They would soon find out the whereabouts of his house and then somehow, they'd get inside. This would've been a pretty simple task for the three hunters, if the house weren't guarded by hoards of demons. Adelaide crossed her arms to try and encourage some extra warmth into her body. The cold wind whispered over the lake and played with her hair, sending goosebumps over her skin despite the layers of clothes she wore. She was afraid, but wouldn't dare let it show. She tried to focus on the phase after Crowley's house, if they succeeded, and what that would entail. She wasn't going to think about the dangers of fighting their way into the King of the Crossroad's house, and she definitely wasn't going to think about the golden-eyed angel who had agreed to help them. She was thankfully interrupted from her own thoughts when Dean spoke.

"Going down?" Dean repeated into the phone, making Adelaide smile. She turned back to look out over the lake as the sun broke free of the clouds that tried to cover it, the glow of light warming her skin. "Right. Okay, Huggy Bear. Just don't lose him." A few more moments went by and Adelaide thought she heard Cas' voice crackling through the speakers, but it was too muffled to make out any words. Dean nodded, turning back and opening the door on driver's side. "That's okay, you did great. We'll take it from here." He said before he flipped his phone closed. Adelaide and Sam immediately began to move and they were quickly in their seats. Adelaide had initially protested about having to sit in the back, but Dean had given her a look and she had shut up about it. There were far more pressing matters to deal with today than who got shotgun. The Impala was soon roaring down the muddy path, water splattering under the spinning wheels.

* * *

Earlier that day, Adelaide had been introduced to yet more new faces. Ellen and Jo Harvelle were old friends of the Winchesters and they were going to help them infiltrate Crowley's home. Ellen was kind and warm, and had greeted her with a bright smile. Her daughter, who seemed wise beyond her years, was incredibly sweet and just as welcoming as her mother. Adelaide stood with Jo, waiting just down the street from the house Cas had tracked Crowley to. She was dressed in a revealing black dress, her shoulders covered by Dean's jacket. Adelaide had noticed something between the two of them earlier but had decided not to question it further. Sam motioned for Jo to follow him and she nodded, smiling quickly at Adelaide before she left.

"Good luck." Adelaide called quietly after the younger woman. Jo mouthed the words 'thank you' back before she left Sam's side, handing Dean his jacket, and approached the gate of Crowley's decadent mansion. Adelaide began to chew the inside of her cheek and moved to stand next to Dean and Sam.

"She'll be fine." Dean reassured her under his breath, and Adelaide smiled up at him gratefully. They watched in silence as Jo pressed a button on the intercom. It buzzed angrily and after a second, a voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello. My car broke down. I- I need some help." Adelaide had to hand it to the young woman, she was a great actress. The voice sounded a little tired and annoyed, but it answered all the same.

"I'll be down in a minute." Jo turned around to wait and Adelaide saw Dean give her a reassuring smile. She nodded faintly back and looked around when the tall white gates swung open. Jo timidly walked forward as two men approached. Both wore black suits, one blonde and one brunette.

"Evening, pretty lady." The first man said, a sick smile on his lips. "Get yourself on in here." Jo smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"I just need to make a call." She assured them.

"You don't need to call anyone, baby." The blonde man said, looking her up and down. He glanced back at his partner who was watching carefully from a distance. "We're the only help you're ever gonna need." By the car, Adelaide made a disgusted noise but was quickly shushed by Dean. Jo glanced at the dark-haired man, shaking her head slightly.

"You know what? I… I think I should wait by my car." She decided cautiously. She turned to go, but the first man grabbed her shoulder. Adelaide watched his eyes go black and drew her gun from the inside pocket of her jacket. Dean looked to Sam who nodded, and they slowly began to make their way towards the gates.

"We said, get your ass in here." The blonde demon said, his tone changing from sleazy to threatening. Jo quirked her lip in disgust before she whirled around knocking the man's arm and shaking him loose. Then she swung her fist and hit his shoulder. The man fell to the ground with a shout of pain. Before the second man could even react, Sam drove Ruby's knife through his neck. He quickly reached down and stabbed the first man, a bright glow of orange light emanating from his open mouth. Sam pulled the knife back and the demon fell to the ground _dead._ Adelaide and Dean walked towards the pair and Dean handed Jo a green duffel bag.

"Nice work, Jo." He told her.

"Thanks." She replied quickly, sounding out of breath. Adelaide smiled at Sam to make sure he was alright and was happy to receive a smile in return. Jo tugged open her bag and pulled out a pair of red bolt cutters. "Okay." She said, waving the tool with a smile. "Shall we?"

* * *

Adelaide stood in-between the two brothers as they waited in one of the vast corridors of Crowley's mansion. Sam to her right, Dean to her left. Jo was making sure that the electricity in Crowley's house was shut off. Their plan was to make him come looking for them. Then, as he walked over one of the extravagant rugs that decorated his halls, he would be trapped by the sigil they had painted on the underside. Hopefully. They saw the lights flicker and die and Adelaide held her breath. He was coming. Dean readjusted his grip on the long shotgun he was holding. Soon enough, just as they had expected, footsteps could be heard echoing through the dark corridor. Then, a figure appeared at the end of the passageway.

"It's Crowley, right?" Sam called out and the figure stopped.

"So. The Hardy Boys finally found me." Said Crowley. He had a deep, gravelly voice and he spoke with an English accent, which Adelaide would have found comforting if the man speaking hadn't been a very powerful demon. He turned to look at them and raised his eyebrows. "Took you long enough." He looked surprised to see Adelaide and his lip curled. "And you brought a friend. How lovely." Adelaide's grip on her gun tightened and Sam raised his knife a little as Crowley approached. The demon smirked, but he stopped midstride when he noticed something out of sorts. He glanced down at the rug to see it was rumpled. Everything was completely immaculate in Crowley's mansion, and something out of place like this was a tell-tale sign that something was amiss. Sam swallowed, gritting his teeth nervously whilst Dean pressed his lips together, hoping that they wouldn't get caught out. Adelaide watched the demon's movements carefully, but stayed as still as a statue.

Crowley bent down and lifted the edge of the rug, exposing the devil's trap drawn there. Damn. Adelaide suddenly felt very, very afraid. With a sigh, Crowley stood up straight again. "Do you have any idea how much this rug cost?" He asked exasperatedly. Suddenly, three demons appeared behind them and grabbed the trio, disarming them and pinning their arms behind their backs. The demon holding Adelaide bent forward, hissing by her ear and she made a repulsed sound. Crowley held up an old-fashioned gun and Dean and Sam drew in a sharp breath. The Colt.

"This is it, right?" He said slowly, admiring the coveted weapon in his hand. "This is what it's all about." Adelaide felt her heart sink. There was no way that they would get the gun now. In fact, there was probably no way they were getting out of this in one piece. As if he had heard her thoughts, Crowley raised the gun and pointed it at Dean. Adelaide let out a gasp but the demon holding her clapped a hand tightly over her mouth. Crowley's expression remained impassive as he aimed the gun and Adelaide knew they were surely done for. But then Crowley did something odd. He adjusted his aim, moving the gun an inch to the left, and fired. Instead of the bullet hitting Dean, it went through the skull of the demon holding him. The gun cracked twice more and two bullets flew into the heads of the demons holding Adelaide and Sam. They fell to the ground with a dull thud. The trio of hunters looked down at the bodies on the floor in confusion then back to Crowley. He raised his eyebrows again and motioned to the Winchesters and Adelaide.

"We need to talk. Privately." He said, and turned away, walking back the way he had come. They tentatively started to follow the demon, casting confused looks to each other. Good, they were all on the same bewildered page. Crowley led Dean, Sam and Adelaide into another room, this one just as decadent as the rest of his house. The room was beautifully furnished, with a huge wooden desk adorned with expensive looking stationary. There was a wide window on the far wall but the whole room was filled with shadow. Old paintings hung on the walls, a few candles were dotted about the room. A fire crackled in an ornate fireplace. It was the epitome of an evil villain's lair.

"What the hell is this?" Dean growled. Adelaide couldn't help but think that they should try and be a little more polite in the presence of such a dangerous demon. But Crowley didn't seem bothered by Dean's abruptness, in fact he ignored him altogether.

"Do you know how deep I could have buried this thing?" He said, brandishing the Colt airily. Adelaide kept her eyes on the gun, wondering how far she could get if she just reached out and grabbed it. Crowley waved his hand and the heavy door slammed shut behind them. "There's no reason you or anyone should know this even exists, except that I told you." Crowley continued and Sam scoffed.

"You told us." He repeated incredulously. Crowley smirked.

"Rumours, innuendo sent out on the grapevine." Sam still looked dubious, and Adelaide had to admit she was a little lost. Why would Crowley of all people be the one to tell them where the Colt was? This had to be a trick.

"Why? Why tell us anything?" Inquired Sam, asking what they were all thinking. Crowley said nothing but raised the Colt once more. He aimed the gun at Dean's head and Adelaide flinched. But Dean remained motionless, a curious look on his face.

"I want you to take this thing to Lucifer and empty it into his face." Crowley said quietly. There was silence for a moment as the three hunters took in what the demon had said. Adelaide's lips parted slightly, her forehead creasing in confusion. She glanced at Sam out of the corner of her eye and was relieved to see he looked as confused as she felt.

"Uh-huh. Okay." Dean said slowly. "And why exactly would you want the devil dead?" Crowley looked a little irritated as he lowered the gun and placed it down on his desk.

"It's called… Survival." He explained to them his lips pursed. Then he added, "But I forgot you two, at best, are functional morons." Dean looked offended and he squared his shoulders.

"Hey, you're functioning morons..." Adelaide and Sam turned to look at Dean who blinked, seemingly surprised at his own stupidity. "Mor…" He tried faintly again but trailed off, looking at the floor, disappointed in himself. Crowley sighed and turned to Adelaide.

"And I don't know who you are, but I'm guessing you're not exactly the head of MENSA either." Adelaide was so surprised that she was finally being addressed that all she managed was a short 'erm' sound. Crowley rolled his eyes. "I thought as much." It was Adelaide's turn to look embarrassed, and she looked down at her feet to hide her red face. "Lucifer isn't a demon, remember?" Crowley continued, raising his eyebrows expectantly. "He's an angel. An angel famous for his hatred of humankind. To him, you're just filthy bags of pus." Adelaide wrinkled her nose but didn't say anything. Crowley looked at them all in turn before he turned and picked up a glass tumbler. Dean took a furtive glance down at the Colt, now resting unguarded on top of Crowley's desk. But it was far too risky to try and grab it. "If that's the way he feels about you, what can he think about us?" He contemplated slowly. Sam frowned,

"But he created you."

"To him, we're just servants. Cannon fodder." Crowley explained slowly. He walked around his desk and sat leaning against the old wood. "If Lucifer manages to exterminate humankind, we're next. So, help me, huh?" Crowley continued, his voice switching from moody villain to friendly and almost humorous. "Let's all go back to simpler, better times, back to when we could all follow our natures." He shrugged. "I'm in sales, dammit!" That Adelaide believed. The convincing way in which he was speaking to them definitely had an air of greedy salesman about it. "So what do you say," Crowley went on. He turned and picked up the Colt again. "If I give you this thing, and you go kill the devil." He held out the gun, holding it by the barrel for Sam to take. He raised his eyebrows, smiling at the three hunters. Dean and Sam glanced at each other whilst Adelaide narrowed her eyes at the demon. Crowley held her gaze and smirked back. Then he wiggled the gun temptingly. Sam hesitantly reached out and took the gun by the grip, shaking his head slightly in disbelief whilst Dean watched on carefully. It seemed ridiculous that after all this planning and worry, they were literally being handed the gun.

"Okay." Sam said perplexedly. Crowley gave him a devilish smile.

"Great." He replied, as if sealing a deal. There was a pause and Sam looked down at the powerful weapon in his hands.

"You wouldn't happen to know where the devil is, by chance, would you?" He asked and Crowley thought for a moment.

"Thursday…" He said slowly, turning to his desk and picking up his tumbler again. "Birdies tell me he has an appointment in Carthage, Missouri." Sam glanced at Dean and nodded. Then he looked back down at the Colt safely in his hands.

"Great. Thanks." He said quietly. Then, to Adelaide's surprise, he raised the gun, pointing the barrel between Crowley's eyes. He pulled the trigger and… Nothing happened. The gun clicked but there was no shot fired. Sam stared, surprised, and Crowley only stared back, his face impassive apart from a slight smile. Dean seemed frozen, torn between amusement and fear. Adelaide's eyes were wide, this was a bit awkward. Crowley nodded,

"Oh, yeah, right, you'll probably need some more ammunition." He added thoughtfully. He went to his desk and opened a drawer. Adelaide was more than happy to get out of there as soon as possible, but Dean spoke up.

"Oh, uh, excuse me for asking, but aren't you kind of signing your own death warrant?" He asked and Crowley looked up interestedly. "I mean, what happens to you if we go up against the devil and lose?" Crowley sighed in frustration.

"Number one, he's going to wipe us all out anyway." He said quickly. "Two, after you leave here, I go on an extended vacation to all points nowhere. And three, how about you don't miss, okay? Morons!" He suddenly yelled, making Adelaide flinch. Her hand gripped the gun in her jacket pocket, the cool metal keeping her calm, reassuring her that she could always fight her way out of any situation. Crowley suddenly threw something to Dean, who caught it and hurriedly opened it. Inside were two lines of bullets for the Colt. Adelaide felt her heart rate slow down again. They were safe, for now. When they looked up, Crowley had disappeared. Sam sighed and Adelaide blew out a long breath.

"Well then." She said.

* * *

The Impala pulled up outside Bobby's house and Sam and Dean climbed out. They were consumed with worry and confusion. The task Crowley had set them was a heavy burden to bear. Killing the devil seemed impossible in itself, but now there was the extra weight of the wrath of Crowley to worry about. Adelaide had been on the phone to her partner for the last five minutes or so, explaining their situation, and she was still talking to her when she clambered out of the Impala. Dean and Sam managed to get halfway across the old scrapyard when a familiar voice interrupted their thoughts.

"Well done, guys. I'm impressed. You managed that without messing up too bad." The Winchesters looked up to see Gabriel standing by the back door, his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face. They both sighed as they made their way towards the house.

"Thank you, Gabriel." Sam said sarcastically. Gabriel winked back at him, only fuelling his annoyance, before he spotted their new friend a little way behind them. Adelaide was talking animatedly on the phone, still walking across the yard.

"Yeah." She said, then paused. "Yes. No, it's cool, don't worry." Gabriel frowned curiously at the woman who still hadn't noticed him. She was a strange one. Outwardly, she appeared hard and uncaring, much like the Winchesters sometimes had to be, but underneath there was something else, someone else. "Yeah. Yeah!" She laughed, and the sound made Gabriel smile. "Okay. Bye. Bye!" She hung up the phone and slipped it back into her jacket pocket.

"You know, I never got your name." Gabriel called to her. Adelaide jumped and looked around, finally spotting the angel. He smiled at her and she sighed, not happy about being startled. She raised her eyebrows, giving a disbelieving laugh.

"Is that so surprising?" She replied as she made her way towards him. When Gabriel frowned in confusion she laughed scornfully. "Really?" She scoffed as she made her way past him and into the house. He followed close behind and soon they were standing outside the doorway to the library. "The first time we met, you acted like a right dick." Gabriel opened his mouth to reply, but a voice interrupted him.

"He wasn't acting." Called Dean from inside the library. Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Dean." He drawled, shaking his head slightly. Then he looked back to Adelaide and smiled slightly. "I'm sorry." Adelaide snorted,

"Oh, yeah?" She asked with an incredulous laugh. Gabriel nodded looking slightly guilty.

"Yeah." He repeated sincerely. "I can't help but feel like we got off on the wrong foot." This surprised Adelaide. This man, no, angel, standing in front of her was completely different to the one she met yesterday. Perhaps he had realised the error of his ways. He did seem genuinely sorry. The angel held his out of for her to shake. "Gabriel." He said, introducing himself again with a bright smile. Adelaide twisted her lip, not sure whether she should shake the man's hand. But then she saw something in his honey-coloured eyes that made her think that maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. She smiled slightly and took his hand, shaking it firmly.

"Adelaide Kingsley." She replied, introducing herself in turn.

"Adelaide." Gabriel repeated, trying the name out. His smile grew and he nodded approvingly. "Great name." He told her and Adelaide couldn't help but smile back.

"Yeah?" She asked, finally letting go after she realised they were still holding hands. Dean looked to Sam who raised his eyebrows back knowingly. Dean snorted and Jo reached across, slapping his arm.

"Suits you." Gabriel told her and Adelaide crossed her arms, feeling a lot more comfortable around the angel now that he was being pleasant. She'd been about to thank him when Dean interrupted once more.

"If you guys are done making out, we've got drinks." He suddenly called, making the pair jump. Adelaide looked around at Dean and shot him a dirty look. Gabriel pouted his lips thoughtfully.

"You know, we could-"

"Don't even." Adelaide said abruptly, raising her hand to stop him from finishing his sentence. Then she smiled at him once more and crossed the room to join the Winchesters. Gabriel watched her leave with an odd smile on his face, but looked away when Dean cleared his throat. Adelaide perched on the edge of Bobby's desk, thanking Dean for the beer he immediately passed to her before she raised her phone in one hand. "I called my partner." She said. "I told you about Lee, didn't I?" Dean sat back in his chair.

"Yes, the, uh, sixteen year old werewolf slayer." He said with a bemused grin. Adelaide clutched her hands to her chest and sighed dreamily.

"My hero." She lisped, making the boys laugh. Then she cleared her throat and started talking a little more seriously. "Anyway, she's on her way here." She told them. Sam looked up, eyebrows raised.

"As in _here_ here." He replied. Adelaide frowned at him before she shrugged her shoulders, taking a sip of her beer.

"I figured we're gonna need all the help we can get." She said, repeating the words Dean had used to convince Bobby to let her stay. Dean caught on and smiled.

"I'll drink to that." He said and raised his bottle. Adelaide grinned and clinked her beer against his, then Sam's, before sliding off the desk to see what the others were doing in the kitchen. Ellen was sat across from Castiel, who was watching every move she made interestedly. She too began to watch as Ellen laid out five full shot glasses in a row on the small kitchen table. Jo sat between them with a beer in her hand and a grin on her face. Ellen drained her fifth shot glass and put it back upside-down on the table.

"All right, big boy. Go." She challenged the angel who looked unfazed. Castiel eagerly picked up the first shot, draining it with ease. He quickly moved on to the next four and Adelaide let out an astonished laugh as Cas drained all five of his shots in quick succession. Ellen stared back, somewhere between impressed and shocked. Cas looked at them all, seeming almost excited at the new game.

"I think I'm starting to feel something." He told them with a slight smile. Adelaide looked to Jo as she gawked at the man, starting to grin. Lee hadn't believed half the things she'd told her over the phone. Angels and Armageddon and the Devil. She didn't blame her for her scepticism. But Adelaide thought she might just love to see Castiel take on Ellen in a drinking game. Adelaide had missed her friend dearly over the few months she'd been away. Lee's older brother had been seriously injured on a hunt, so she'd rushed home instantly. Of course, Adelaide understood completely. She had known Lee and her family for a long time, and had sent her best wishes. But she couldn't help but feel a little lonely now and then, especially on hunts. It was dangerous enough, the job that they had, but even more so on your own. She could have taken some time off while her partner was in another country, but Adelaide found that she wasn't happy unless she was busy. Plus, being chased by a Wendigo in a creepy forest was way more fun than awful daytime television.

Adelaide looked around at the group of friends she had made in such a short time and realised that she wasn't lonely now. But then the awfulness of tomorrow and what it would bring came crawling back into her head. Lee wouldn't be here for another two days or so. What if she wasn't here when her friend came knocking for her? What if tomorrow was the day her luck as a hunter finally ran out? She suddenly felt sick. Adelaide was close to running from the room when a voice interrupted her morbid thoughts, making her jump.

"Hey, little lady." She gasped and looked up to find Gabriel standing before her. He had a concerned frown on his face, his eyes searching hers. "Are you okay?" He asked kindly. Adelaide felt her face grow hot, she hadn't noticed she had zoned out quite so much.

"No, sorry, I'm fine." She said quickly, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "I was just thinking about tomorrow and, you know..." Gabriel's expression relaxed and he nodded understandingly.

"It's gonna be a bitch of a day, for sure." He replied quietly. Adelaide gave a slight sigh of agreement. She offered him a sip of her beer but he politely declined. They shared a companionable silence for a moment, the angel and the human leaning against the kitchen wall whilst their friends talked and laughed.

"Are you gonna be there?" Adelaide asked eventually, turning her head towards Gabriel. He looked back at her for a moment, opening his mouth to reply, but then he shook his head and looked down at the floor.

"I can't." He said quietly. Adelaide felt like she shouldn't ask, but she couldn't help herself.

"Why not?" She inquired, her voice coming out barely above a whisper. Gabriel looked around and saw that everyone was too absorbed in their conversations or drinking games to listen in on what they were saying.

"Don't tell anyone I told you this, but…" He said slowly, turning his head to her so he could speak more quietly. Adelaide nodded, promising silently that she wouldn't tell anyone. Gabriel looked at her for a moment before he sighed. "I can't…" He tried to speak, but found his mouth was suddenly very dry. "I can't kill my brother." He told her. Adelaide's lips parted in confusion, diverting Gabriel's gaze monetarily, but he looked back up to her eyes when she spoke.

"But he's-"

"The Devil, I know but…" He readjusted his position against the wall so that he was able to whisper to her without anyone else hearing. "The reason I left, the reason I went AWOL for so long is because I couldn't stand listening to my family fighting anymore." He explained to her, and Adelaide was surprised that he trusted her with this information. "I don't wanna fight anyone, especially my brother." He admitted, and Adelaide suddenly felt a lot more compassion and understanding for the rebel angel. He didn't want to watch his family be torn apart, so he left. She understood his disdain for the whole affair much more now. Gabriel looked down at his feet guiltily. "I know that sending humans into a fight with angels without much help is pretty awful, but I just…"

"I understand." Adelaide whispered. Gabriel looked up at her incredulously and she nodded. "I do, I understand. I wouldn't want to fight my brother either." Gabriel's eyes searched hers for a moment before a smile slowly spread across his face.

"You have a brother?" He asked quietly and Adelaide saw that the change of subject was lifting him from his sorrowful thoughts.

"Two years younger than me but about a foot taller. Always has been." She told him and Gabriel laughed softly.

"What's his name?" He asked and Adelaide smiled slightly.

"Joshua." She told him and Gabriel laughed properly.

"Biblical." He commented when Adelaide looked at him questioningly.

"Ironic, I know right." She replied drily, making Gabriel chuckle again.

"You should meet the real Joshua. He's quite a nice guy." He said and Adelaide snorted, looking around the room.

"I think meeting you and Cas is enough for now." She told him honestly and Gabriel nodded. She looked back at him, her eyes travelling over his face, taking in every detail from his unusual eyes to his comfortable smile. He looked back to her and she immediately dropped her gaze, not wanting to be caught staring.

"You feeling better?" He asked her and she met his eyes with a smile.

"Yeah. Much. Thank you." She told him and Gabriel shook his head.

"Thank _you_." He replied and Adelaide's smile diminished as she held the gaze of the archangel. They were silent for a moment and Adelaide almost found herself forgetting where she was as she looked into Gabriel's eyes. But then she cleared her throat and looked away, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

"Hang on, did you call me little lady?" She suddenly asked, remembering how their conversation had started. Gabriel looked momentarily surprised at the unexpected change in their conversation's direction, but he smiled all the same.

"Yes, yes I did." He said proudly and Adelaide frowned at him.

"Why?"

"Lady, short for Adelaide, and little because, well…" He said, pointedly looking her up and down. Adelaide had always been a little sensitive about her height and she hated having it pointed out, especially by snarky, sarcastic archangels with nice eyes.

"Oh, fuck off." She muttered, turning away from him and walking across the kitchen to talk to Jo. Gabriel gasped melodramatically and trailed after her.

"That's no way to speak to an angel." He told her, pretending to be offended, and Adelaide shot him a grin over her shoulder. Bobby's voice suddenly came calling through the house.

"Everybody get in here! It's time for the line-up." Adelaide looked down at Jo in her chair and she shrugged her shoulders back. They all moved from the kitchen into the library and found Bobby setting up an old camera with a large flash. Sam entered first with Ellen close behind, regarding the camera with clear distaste. "Usual suspects in the corner." Said Bobby, jabbing his thumb to where he wanted them to stand.

"Oh come on, Bobby. Nobody wants their picture taken." Ellen complained half-heartedly and Sam snorted.

"Hear, hear." He agreed. Cas entered next, followed by Dean and Jo.

"Shut up. You're drinking my beer." Bobby drawled as he finished fiddling with the camera on its tripod. He rolled his wheelchair back to get in frame with the others. Adelaide and Gabriel hung back, standing in the doorway. Neither of them considered themselves a part of the small, mismatched family already positioned in front of the camera, but Dean looked around when he noticed they were one missing. When he saw her standing in the doorway, he motioned for her to join them.

"Adelaide, c'mon." He said with a grin. Jo held her arm out to her and Adelaide's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't think they would want her in the picture, her being a stranger and all, but their smiles told her otherwise. With some hesitancy, she joined the group, wrapping an arm around Jo's waist. Then she looked back to Gabriel, who still stood in the doorway alone, watching them all with a curious smile on his face. Adelaide held her hand out, gesturing for him to stand next to her.

"Gabriel." She said, but the angel shook his head.

"I don't think I'm really-" He began, but Adelaide shot him a dangerous look. He thought momentarily about turning her down again but the warm smile she gave him pulled him in. They all jostled about, putting arms around shoulders and grouping together closer so that they were all in the shot.

"Anyway, I'm gonna need something to remember your sorry asses by." Bobby said, making Ellen laugh.

"Always good to have an optimist around." She said and everyone smiled for the picture. But then Cas spoke up, his voice grave.

"Bobby's right. Tomorrow we hunt the Devil. This is our last night on earth." Adelaide felt that worry come creeping back up her spine, that feeling of dread that she thought had disappeared, but was in fact only hiding, waiting. Tomorrow, there was a large possibility that none of them would make it home. She thought of her best friend coming to meet them as they spoke, of her family at home, who had no idea what kind of life she led, and of the friends she had made recently, who were so brave and so kind. She looked up at Gabriel to see him already looking down at her, that same worry reflected in his eyes. Then the camera flashed.

* * *

The Impala purred as they edged down the empty street. Adelaide sat in the backseat, watching as Sam and Dean leaned their arms out the windows, trying to get a signal on their phones. Missing persons posters were tacked to every telephone pole and Adelaide was starting to feel more than a little nervous about the emptiness of the town. They hadn't seen a single person so far. The Impala drove by a huge American flag with the words 'ANTI-GOD IS ANTI-AMERICAN' painted on it. How ironic.

"You getting a signal?" Sam asked and Dean shook his head.

"No, nothing. Nice and spooky." He said, pulling the car over a little. He waved the other car, its passengers Ellen, Jo and Cas, up next to them.

"Place seem a little empty to you?" Ellen said, voicing what they were all thinking. Dean tried to keep his voice light as he replied, not wanting to sound as nervous as he felt.

"We're gonna go check out the PD. You guys stay here, see if you can find anybody."

"Okay."

Adelaide, Sam and Dean investigated the little police station to find it was deserted, just like the rest of the town. They parked the car and tentatively began to explore the streets on foot. They were just walking down a row of dilapidated shops when Ellen and Jo pulled up beside them.

"Station's empty." Dean told them and Jo sighed.

"So's everything else." She replied. Adelaide was beginning to feel sick with worry. It was far too quiet. She had expected all-out war and carnage, but the place was barren. She feared for the citizens of the little town and its surrounding villages. That was one of the good things about America, it's a big place. There were no other towns or large populations for miles, so the damage would hopefully be minimal.

"Have you seen Cas?" Ellen asked and the trio blanched.

"What?" Said Adelaide, and Sam shook his head slightly.

"He was with you." Ellen pursed her lips.

"Nope. He went after the Reapers."

"Reapers?"

"He saw Reapers? Where?" Jo leaned forward in her seat to speak to them better and they saw she looked just as worried as they felt.

"Well, kind of… Everywhere." She told them and Ellen nodded. Sam and Dean shared a glance and Adelaide drew her gun from her pocket. It was starting. Ellen parked the car and they started to move. They walked in a group down the road, all with guns in hand, ready for any signs of trouble.

"Well, this is great, been in town twenty minutes and already lost the angel up our sleeve." Dean grumbled, making Adelaide roll her eyes. This really wasn't the time to be complaining. She was worried about the amount of noise they were making. The town seemed so dead, so quiet, that any slight noise made her jump. "Speaking of angels," Dean said. "Anyone know if Gabriel's gonna make an appearance any time soon?" Adelaide turned her eyes to the gravel strewn road.

"He's not coming." She told him darkly. Dean looked over at her and she saw out of the corner of her eye that he looked angry.

"What? Why?" Adelaide shot him a look but didn't say anything. Dean sighed. "Great." He muttered. There was a moment's pause as they continued down the stretch until Sam had an idea.

"You think, uh, you think Lucifer got Cas?" He asked and Dean shook his head.

"I don't know what else to think."

"There you are." A cold, unfamiliar voice called. The five hunters spun around, guns raised and aimed at the source of the new threat. A woman stood in the road. She had dark hair and even darker eyes, and a smirk that let Adelaide know at once that she was not to be trusted. A wind started to howl down the streets, tossing the hair and clothes of the hunters and the strange woman. Sam stepped forward, his shotgun pointed at the stranger.

"Meg." He barked. Adelaide wasn't surprised that they knew her, nothing the Winchesters did surprised her anymore.

"Shouldn't have come here, boys." Meg told them. There was a strange lilt to her tone that frightened Adelaide a little. This woman was completely in control of the situation.

"Hell, I could say the same thing for you." Dean growled, stepping forward and aiming their prized possession, the Colt, at the woman. So, she was a demon then. Great. Meg didn't even flinch as the ancient gun was turned on her.

"Didn't come here alone, Deano." She patronised as she glanced to her right. Something splashed in a puddle near Meg's feet and the sounds of growling and barking reverberated through the bones of the hunters. The snarling increased and Adelaide looked around when she heard a bark by her left leg. She gasped and moved away from the sound. They were surrounded. Dean felt his stomach drop, but he didn't dare show how afraid he felt.

"Hellhounds." He declared lightly, trying desperately not to think of the creature that had dragged him to hell only a year or two ago.

"Yeah, Dean. Your favourite." Meg called back, beginning to smile now. "Come on, boys. My father wants to see you." Adelaide felt her hands shaking around the grip on her gun.

"I think we'll pass, thanks." Sam had to shout over the howl of the wind and the hellhounds.

"Your call." Meg said simply. "You can make this easy or you can make it really, really hard." Dean slowly turned his head to look back at the group. He looked to Ellen, who nodded shortly back, then to Adelaide who gave him a shaky yet determined smile. Dean swallowed hard, his grip on the Colt tightening.

"When have you known us to ever make anything easy?" He said as he turned back to the demon in the shape of a woman. Meg only shook her head. Adelaide watched in horror as Dean shifted his aim and fired the Colt at the space by Meg's feet. Blood spurted out of the invisible hound and the others began to growl in anger.

"Run!" Sam yelled and they all immediately span around and raced back the other way. Adrenalin shot through her as Adelaide ran beside the others, the sound of hellhounds biting at their heels. She pumped her arms, trying desperately not to scream as they pelted down the street. Howls and snarls filled her ears and she could hear the thud, thud, thud of heavy padded paws on the pavement. Then suddenly a scream filled the street.

"Dean!" Adelaide looked over her shoulder to see that the hunter had been tackled by a hellhound. Jo was running to his aid.

"Jo, stay back!" Dean cried, but the young woman fired her gun repeatedly at the hound. Adelaide, Ellen and Sam skidded to a halt and Jo kept firing, knocking the hellhound further and further back. Adelaide cride out as another hellhound jumped on Jo from the side. Ellen's eyes flew wide and she ran to her daughter, Sam and Adelaide close behind. The hellhound shredded Jo's side and the young woman screeched in agony. The three hunters fired their guns, knocking the hellhound back away from Jo. Dean was able to scoop her up in his arms. He ran past the remaining hunters, who quickly turned to follow. He led them into the nearest shop, Ellen holding the door open and Sam and Adelaide hanging back to shoot more of the hounds. As Dean carried Jo through the hardware store, blood spilled out onto the pristine white floor, leading a trail to where he gently placed her down against the counter. The young woman whimpered in pain as her mother tried to calm her down.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, breathe now." Sam and Adelaide got to work securing the doors, making sure that the hellhounds wouldn't follow them into the store. They grabbed heavy metal chains and wrapped them around the door handles, pulling them shut. Dean spotted a wheelbarrow full of sacks of rock salt in the corner and grabbed a bag, running to help Sam and Adelaide. "Guys, need some help here!" Ellen called anxiously as the three hunters split the bags open and frantically lined the doorway and windows. Dean grabbed his shotgun once they had finished and the trio stood over Ellen and Jo on the floor.

The young woman stared at them all in turn, a dazed look in her eyes. She looked so pale, so weak. Adelaide was panting furiously as she watched Ellen peel Jo's hand away from her injury. The tears in her flesh spurted blood, and Adelaide felt sick. Ellen looked over her shoulder at them, horrified. Adelaide took a step back, her hands flying to her head. Jo was beyond repair. They were trapped. They were going to die here.


	6. Chapter 6

Jo continued to whimper and groan as her side was bandaged up by Ellen. Adelaide stood back, leaning against one of the long metal shelves in the hardware store. She felt helpless as she watch Jo shudder and sob. Her mother was murmuring to her softly, trying to soothe her.

"You're gonna be alright, okay? You're gonna be alright." Ellen's words made Adelaide's gut twist. Looking at Jo, looking at the wound that swept across her abdomen, she knew that she wasn't going to be alright. She'd seen a lot of people die from a lot less. Adelaide couldn't look at the tragic scene any longer and averted her eyes. Sam kneeled beside the young girl and handed a bowl to Ellen. "Thank you." The hunter murmured and quickly returned to nursing her daughter. Sam nodded faintly and went to join his brother. Dean was fiddling with something electronic that sat on another of the tall metal shelves. Adelaide found she couldn't convince her body to move so that she could join the brothers, so she watched from a distance and listened to them talk.

"How's she holding up?" The eldest brother asked, looking up to Sam with a slight flash of hope on his face. Sam dropped his gaze and there was an agonizing pause. Dean immediately understood and went back to tinkering with what looked like an old radio. Perhaps he was trying to distract himself, Adelaide thought. He was handling the situation a lot better than she was. She could only just about hold herself upright, let alone try to fix anything. She realised she hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time and almost diagnosed herself with shock before she shook herself out of it. Her eyes flicked to the brothers again when Sam spoke up.

"Salt lines are holding up." He offered, a weak attempt at a consolation, an infinitesimal silver lining.

"Safe for now." Dean agreed bravely but Sam could barely hold back a snort.

"Safer." He corrected him. "Trapped like rats." Adelaide watched Dean's face contort with fear for a second before he looked back to Sam again.

"Hey, you heard Meg. Her father's _here_." He said in an undertone, so quiet that Adelaide could barely hear him. "This is our one shot, Sammy. We gotta take it, no matter what." There was another pause as they mulled over Dean's words before the eldest Winchester began to tamper with the radio once more. The little machine began to whir and squeal. A bright light shone from it, a stab of manmade luminescence in the dark store. "Here we go." Dean said, almost back to his usual self.

"Sam, some help here, please?" Ellen called to the younger Winchester and he immediately went to her side. Adelaide finally found the strength to move and she slowly made her way over to where Dean was speaking into the microphone connected to the ancient radio. He gave her a small nod as she leaned against the shelf next to him, and she gave him a miniscule smile in return.

"K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, come in." He said professionally, robotically, like a pilot calling air traffic control. The machine crackled and wailed for a moment before a familiar voice came popping, cracking through the dusty speakers.

"K C 5 Fox Delta Oscar, go ahead." Came Bobby's worried reply. Adelaide felt her heart begin to lift with hope. They weren't alone. Dean wasted no time in explaining their situation to the older man. They didn't know how long the diminutive radio would work for.

"Bobby, it's Dean. We got problems." They both heard Bobby sigh in relief, happy that they were safe.

"It's okay, boy. That's why I'm here." He replied reassuringly. It was things like that that reminded Adelaide just how close Bobby and the boys were. He really was like a uncle to them. "Is everyone alright?" Dean took a deep, calming breath. He looked like he was close to tears.

"No. It's- It's- It's Jo. Bobby, it's pretty bad." Adelaide glanced over to where the girl was leaned up against the counter, her face deathly pale. Bobby paused, taking in the information and taking a deep breath. When he spoke again, he was directive and firm.

"Okay. Copy that. So now we figure out what we do next." He told them, calmly and 's throat felt tight, like he couldn't speak. He turned away from Sam, Ellen and Jo.

"Bobby, I don't think she's-" He broke off, tears beginning to brim. Adelaide watched silently as he pressed a finger to his lips, willing himself to continue, to not break down. Watching him struggle to carry on was tough on Adelaide, but she knew she couldn't allow herself to get emotional at a time like this, even if she felt close to tears herself.

"I said, what do we do next, Dean?" Bobby repeated firmly, reminding him that there was no time to dwell on sad things. Dean's bottom lip trembled a little and he swallowed thickly before he leaned his head on his hand for a moment. Adelaide gave him a nod, reaffirming Bobby's words silently.

"Right." Dean said, shaking himself out of his state. "Okay, right."

"Now, tell me what you got."

* * *

Adelaide didn't know how much time had passed. It could've been an hour or two, but judging by the darkening sky, it had been a lot longer. Every so often, she thought she could hear the grating growl of a hellhound, but it would only ever turn out to be the wind. She knew they were still out there, it was naïve to believe that they'd left them alone. She didn't dare go near the windows, for fear of one of the monstrous hounds leaping through the glass and ripping them all to shreds. Or maybe she was overthinking things. Jo's condition had considerably worsened in the time that had gone by. She visibly shook, the wound at her side still bleeding. It was a wonder that the girl had survived this long without any real medical attention. But Adelaide had learned that you sort of needed a God for miracles to happen, and judging by the state of the world outside, theirs was long gone. Dean was still talking on the radio to Bobby, which was still putting up an admirable fight to stay alive.

"Before he went missing, did Cas say how many Reapers?"

"I don't- He said a lot of things, I guess. Does the number matter?" Dean replied shortly as Ellen approached behind him. Bobby sighed,

"Devil's in the details, Dean."

"No, the Devil's down the street." Adelaide said, without really meaning to. Dean's aggravated stare turned to her and she immediately regretted it.

"Adelaide-" He warned, tapering off because he didn't feel like shouting. He closed his eyes wearily and rubbed his frazzled face with tired fingers. Adelaide felt guilt drip drip drip like poison in her chest.

"Sorry." She murmured, but Dean shook his head.

"No, it's…" He trailed off again and Ellen tapped him on the shoulder with one bloody hand. Dean nodded and held up the microphone for her to speak into.

"Bobby, it's Ellen." She said. "The way he was looking, the number of places Castiel's eyes went, I'd say we're talking over a dozen Reapers, probably more." They could practically hear Bobby's worry increase.

"I do _not_ like the sound of that." He said in a low voice and Dean barely held back a scoff.

"Nobody likes the sound of that, Bobby but-" His anger subsided as he glanced over his shoulder at Jo on the ground. He shook his head slightly and tried to keep his breathing steady. "What… Wh-what does that sound like?"

"It sounds like Death, son." Adelaide looked up at Dean again and saw his eyes widen with fear. "I think Satan's in town to work a ritual." She could hear Bobby turning the pages of a book in the background. He'd done his research. "I think he's planning to unleash Death."

"You mean, like, as in this dude and taxes are the only sure thing?" Adelaide wrinkled her nose in confusion but didn't say anything, not wanting to interrupt again with trivialities when tensions were so high.

"As in Death. The horseman. The pale rider in the flesh."

"Unleash?" Dean repeated incredulously. "I mean, hasn't Death been tromping all over the place? Hell, I've died several times myself." Again, Adelaide chose not to say anything, despite her confusion. Instead she looked over at Jo and Ellen, hoping to take her mind off Bobby's troubling words. Death and the Devil and angels and horsemen- Jo gave a sharp cry of pain, thankfully stopping Adelaide's thoughts in their tracks. She slowly walked over to where Ellen kneeled beside her daughter and carefully bent down next to her. Jo looked up at her and smiled faintly but then her eyes travelled downwards and she frowned. Ellen and Adelaide followed her gaze.

There was a long, jagged cut in her jacket sleeve, exposing the pale flesh of her arm that had been ripped by a hellhound's claw. Adelaide looked back up at Jo and found the girl's eyes filled with concern. She'd hurt her arm whilst trying to escape and it hurt like a bitch, but she hadn't said anything. The tear in her arm was nothing compared to the chunk taken out of the younger woman, and she hadn't wanted to look like she was complaining about nothing. Ellen tutted at her for not saying anything and leaned over to get more bandages. The older woman carefully pulled Adelaide's jacket off her shoulders and began to dress her wound with the incomparable care of a mother. As Ellen worked on her arm, Adelaide could hear Bobby talking softly.

"I've been researching Carthage since you've been gone, trying to suss out what the Devil might want there. What you just said drops the last piece of the puzzle in place. The Angel of Death must be brought into this world at midnight through a place of awful carnage. Now, back during the Civil War, there was a battle in Carthage. A battle so intense the soldiers called it the Battle of Hellhole."

"Where'd the massacre go down?"

"On the land of William Jasper's farm." Ellen finished with Adelaide's bandage and she smiled up at her.

"Thank you." She mouthed silently and the older woman nodded. Jo began to shake again and Ellen immediately returned her attention to her daughter. Adelaide stood up and pulled her jacket back on carefully.

"That's my girl, you're okay, honey." Ellen murmured softly, stroking her daughter's hair. Adelaide smiled once more at Ellen then went to rejoin Sam and Dean, who stood near the front of the shop a few feet away.

"So now we know where the Devil's gonna be, we know when and we have the Colt." Dean summarised, his voice much more determined than before. He glanced at Adelaide when she joined them and gave her an apologetic smile. Adelaide nodded once then looked up at Sam when he began to talk.

"Yeah. We just have to get past… Eight or so hellhounds and get to the farm by midnight." He said dully, making his brother shift uncomfortably. Dean hated to be pessimistic, but his brother was right. As usual, Sam was living up to his role as the pragmatist, and Dean was forced to think their plan through more thoroughly.

"Yeah, and that's after we get Jo and Ellen the hell out of town." He added and Sam looked grim.

"Won't be easy." He replied and Adelaide bit her lip.

"Not at all." She murmured, more to herself than the brothers, as she tried to come up with a solution applicable to their situation.

"Stretcher?" Dean proposed and Sam nodded. It wasn't much of an idea but it was something. Adelaide couldn't help but think they were being naïvely optimistic if they thought they could just carry Jo out on a stretcher, drop her and her mother off whilst keeping the hellhounds at bay, and then go kill the Devil. It was ludicrous, really. But none of them wanted to explore the other unspoken option.

"I'll see what we got." Sam said, and turned to go looking for the materials they would need to throw together a makeshift stretcher to carry the injured woman. Adelaide heard Jo sigh and she turned to see the sickly girl shaking her head.

"Stop. Guys, stop." The Winchesters stopped moving, listening intently to what the hunter had to say. Ellen looked between the boys and Jo in confusion. Jo licked her lips then pursed them as another wave of pain shuddered through her. "Can we, uh, be realistic about this, please?" She requested, her dark eyes showing she was close to surrendering. Dean and Sam walked over to her, but Adelaide kept her distance. She didn't really know the Harvelles that well, she felt like she was invading something private.

Jo grunted in pain and Ellen's features tightened with worry. She had looked after her daughter with unparalleled care and devotion from the second she was born. And now her baby girl was in pain and there was nothing she could do about it. "I can't move my legs. I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an ace bandage. We gotta… We gotta get our priorities straight here." Dean and Sam looked at each other and then back at Jo, both wondering where the girl was going with this, but also knowing deep down exactly what Jo's words were leading up to. "Number one, I'm not going anywhere." Ellen's eyes hardened and she shook her head.

"Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that." She scolded her daughter but Jo only shook her head in dejectedly.

"Mom. I can't fight. I can't walk. But I can do _something_." Jo weakly nodded to the far wall. "We got propane, wiring, rock salt, iron nails, everything we need."

"Everything we need?" Sam repeated and Jo gave him a ghost of a smile.

"To build a bomb, Sam." She said and Dean immediately started to argue.

"No, Jo. No."

"You got another plan?" She said sharply, staring the hunter down fiercely. Adelaide decided she'd never seen the girl look so grown up than in that moment. "You got any other plan? Those are hellhounds out there, Dean. They've got all of our scents. Those bitches will _never_ stop coming after you." The Winchesters looked down at the ground, knowing in their hearts that what the girl was saying was true. "We let the dogs in, you guys hit the roof, make a break for the building next over. I can wait here with my finger on the button, rip those mutts a new one." Jo began to smile, but Ellen's eyes were shining with tears. "Or at least get you a few minutes head start, anyway." Adelaide hated to admit it, but it was the best plan she'd heard that night. Of course, Ellen did not feel the same way.

"No, I- I won't let you." Jo's eyes turned soft as she spoke to her mother.

"This is why we're here, right?" Adelaide watched as Ellen shook her head desperately, tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. "If I can get us a shot on the Devil... Dean, we have to take it." Ellen was still shaking her head.

"No!" She looked up at Dean desperately. "That's not-"

"Mom." Jo said softly, bringing Ellen's attention back to her. "This might literally be your last chance to treat me like an adult. Might wanna take it." Jo's voice wobbled as she spoke and she gave her a shaky smile, but Ellen started to sob. That's when Adelaide couldn't take any more and had to look away. She closed her eyes and took three deep breaths, trying not to think of her own mother who she missed dearly. She was so far away, sitting at home, alone with the TV probably on and her head in a book, glasses perched at the end of her nose. She shook her head and cleared her throat quietly. Ellen's determined voice brought her back to the present.

"You heard her. Get to work." She ordered. Adelaide looked to Sam and he gave her a nod. She returned it and they practically ran to the shelves. The three hunters grabbed the materials Jo had listed to assemble the bombs. They filled metal buckets with nails and rock salt for shrapnel. Ellen began to cut up the wire and attach it to the battery packs and propane bottles Dean laid out for her. By the time they finished their work, night had fallen completely. Whilst Adelaide made the final checks on the explosives, Sam took Jo's hand in his. She was icy cold but he ignored it, focusing on the brightness that had returned to her eyes. Dean walked backwards towards them, stringing the wire to the button Jo would hold to set off the bomb.

"Okay, this is it." He said, giving her a tight smile. "I'll see you on the other side. Probably sooner than later." Jo smiled weakly back.

"Make it later." She replied and Dean nodded dutifully. He placed the button in her palm but kept his hand over hers for a moment longer. Jo had begun to cry but still, she did not look afraid. Adelaide looked over just in time to see Dean kiss her once on the forehead then on the lips. He leaned his forehead against hers for a moment and it damn near broke her heart. Dean then got to his feet, leaving the young girl sitting on the floor, looking like an old rag doll. Ellen came back and kneeled beside Jo and they watched each other for a moment. Then Ellen smiled. This obviously clicked something in Jo's brain because the young girl began to shake her head. "Mom, no." She breathed, her voice cracking. Adelaide frowned and stepped forward next to Dean and Sam.

"Somebody's gotta let them in." Ellen said simply. "Like you said, you're not moving. You got me, Jo. And you're right, this is important." Jo nodded and Adelaide could tell she was starting to feel weaker and weaker. "But I will not leave you here alone." Adelaide thought that Jo might continue to argue with her mother, but the young woman seemed to realise that Ellen's mind was made up. Adelaide's lips parted in surprise and anguish. She couldn't quite believe just how courageous these two women were.

"Dean-" Sam urged and Ellen settled herself more comfortably next to her daughter.

"Get going now, boys." She said, that accent of hers ringing out for the last time. Dean looked like his whole world was ending.

"Ellen-" He begged, but she had made up her mind.

"I said go." She told him firmly, that glint of bravery and fire shining in her dark eyes, the same fire shared by her daughter. Sam looked to Dean then to Adelaide who nodded with a tight throat. The three hunters started to walk away but Ellen's voice stopped them. "And Dean?" The eldest Winchester looked back. "Kick it in the ass. Don't miss." She ordered and Dean nodded. Adelaide raised her hand to the two women in a feeble goodbye wave and they both nodded faintly back. She felt hot tears begin to prick in her eyes when Jo gave her one final warm smile. The Winchesters and Kingsley headed for the exit and Ellen slowly unwrapped the chains Sam and Adelaide had put around the doors. She swept away the salt line and opened the propane tanks, taking her time. Then she sat back down next to her daughter, and hugged her tight.

The three remaining hunters sped across the fire escape, Sam in the lead with Adelaide bringing up the rear. Their pounding footsteps echoed on the old metal. They clambered quickly down the cold, rusty ladder and hurried down the alley. They just managed to clear the building when the whole thing exploded, sending glass, metal and fire spurting out into the night sky. Black smoke tainted the clear air of a summer's night. The old hardware store crackled and fizzed, a bright burning orb of orange and red. They stopped for a minute, paying their last respects, before they started to run.

* * *

Sam and Dean crept through a small thicket of trees with Adelaide close on their heels. The pines shielded them from view, but only barely. From their hiding place, they could see dozens of men standing alert and stoic. Their stillness unnerved Adelaide, and she noticed that the men were all staring off at one point in particular, a man digging. A fire crackled and blazed behind them, casting an eerie light on the scene.

"Guess we know what happened to some of the townspeople." Dean's gravelly voice seemed even louder in the quiet of the small forest. Adelaide hummed in agreement as she continued to eye the men carefully, making sure that they weren't being watched. The firelight danced over their faces, the smell of smoke both homely and sickening.

"Okay." Sam said, as if preparing himself.

"Okay." Dean echoed and Adelaide began to feel appropriately afraid. She'd managed to hold onto some shred of courage for a while now, but it was beginning to burn out. They were about to try and shoot the Devil.

"Last words?" Sam asked and Dean was silent for a moment. He looked back at Sam and shook his head.

"I think I'm good." He said.

"Yeah. Me too." Sam agreed, his voice tight. Dean looked at his brother again with a faint smile that Sam didn't return. Both the Winchesters looked between them at Adelaide, who looked like she'd gone into shock. Her dark blue eyes were wide with fear as she surveyed the mess in front of them. Her skin was pale in the firelight and her fingers were wrapped tightly around her gun. Perhaps the cold metal brought her comfort, the same way it did to them sometimes. Finally, Adelaide's clever eyes looked up at them both and she shook her head.

"Fuck it, let's do this." She murmured and the brothers seemed to think her statement was appropriate. They turned back to the field and Dean pulled out the Colt, their gift from Crowley.

"Here goes nothing." He said, and they started to move. Adelaide and Sam went left and Dean went right, disappearing into the trees. The two hunters marched confidently through the crowd of townspeople, passing an old civil war cannon on their way. They stopped in front of the man digging a hole. Lucifer. Adelaide took a deep breath. Here we go.

"Hey!" Sam roared suddenly and Adelaide was momentarily surprised. She wasn't sure she would take that tone with the Devil. Sam stepped forward and readied his shotgun, the robotic townspeople all slowly turning to look at them. The man stopped digging and dropped his shovel. "You wanted to see me?" Sam said and Lucifer slowly turned around, dusting off his hands wearily. Adelaide was surprised at how normal he looked. He had sandy blonde hair and bright eyes, and he wore a green jacket over a pair of jeans. Adelaide was momentarily struck by how closely he dressed to his brother, Gabriel, but that thought was immediately pushed from her mind when the fallen angel began to speak.

"Oh, Sam, you don't need that gun here." Sam stepped back a little, leaning his weight on his back leg. A defensive stance. Adelaide watched him carefully out of the corner of her vision, not wanting to take her eyes off the wickedly talented man in front of them. Lucifer smiled pleasantly down at Sam. "You know I'd never hurt you. Not really." Sam clenched his jaw determinedly. Suddenly, there was a voice beside the angel.

"Yeah? Well, I'd hurt you." Said Dean. He'd been able to creep up next to Lucifer whilst he was distracted by Sam. The Devil turned to find Dean pointing the Colt point-blank at his forehead. "So suck it." He growled, then fired the gun. The crack ricocheted across the field and into the night. Lucifer fell heavily to the ground and Adelaide gasped at the suddenness of Dean's actions. She looked around worriedly at the men surrounding them, but none of them moved. The three hunters stared at the body on the ground with baited breath. Had they really done it? Had they really killed the Devil? Dean slowly looked up at Sam and his brother looked back at him. The older brother dared to crack a queasy smile and Sam began to shake, not quite believing they had succeeded. Adelaide could barely breathe. It seemed too simple, too quick, too easy. Then the body on the ground inhaled sharply and Adelaide felt her blood run cold. Lucifer rolled over and winced.

"Owww." He wailed and the three hunters were frozen in terror and disbelief. Of course, it could never be that easy. Lucifer panted, his hand prodding the hole in his head gingerly. Adelaide looked to Sam to see he was just as horrified as she was. "Where did you get that?" He asked, frowning at Dean. The elder Winchester could only stare back. Lucifer suddenly lunged and punched Dean hard. He flew backwards through the air and crashed into a tree with a sickening thud. Sam and Adelaide could only watch Dean drop to the ground, their mouths open, their eyes wide, before they turned back to Lucifer. But Adelaide was tired, and she was scared, and she was very, very angry. So she raised her gun and fired three rounds in quick succession. They all found their way into Lucifer's chest. The angel turned to look at her with raised eyebrows.

"No, no, sweetheart." He sighed and he waved his hand to the side. Adelaide yelped as she flew backwards into one of the many men standing solitaire in the field. She felt her head smack against something hard and then everything went black.

* * *

Light swam across her vision. Orange, yellow, black, blue. Adelaide hissed and raised a shaky hand to her head. When she pulled her hand back and held it in front of her face, her palm was painted with blood. She swore and tried to sit up, but the world span relentlessly. She groaned and slowly lowered herself back onto the ground. She thought she could hear voices in the distance.

"I was a son. A brother, like you, a younger brother, and I had an older brother who I loved. Idolized, in fact." She closed her eyes, concentrating on trying to clear her mind and work out who the voice belonged to and why she was so afraid of it. "And one day I went to him and I begged him to stand with me, and Michael… Michael turned on me." Michael. Angels. Lucifer. Shit! Adelaide turned over so she could push herself up with what little strength she had left. "Called me a freak. A monster. And then he beat me down. All because I was different. Because I had a mind of my own." What was he on about? Did Lucifer, Fallen Angel, King of the Pit, Hell Ruler, have daddy issues? "Tell me something, Sam. Any of this sound familiar? Anyway, you'll have to excuse me. Midnight is calling and I have a ritual to finish." Adelaide managed to struggle to her feet and find her gun. She looked around and saw Dean still on the ground, Sam standing by his body. Lucifer had finished digging now. The townspeople still stood watching intently. Two were on the floor, their eyes closed. Well, that explains the head injury. "Don't go anywhere." Lucifer said with a bright smile. Then he shrugged. "Not that you could, if you would." He turned to Adelaide and pointed down at her. "That means you too, honey." Even if she wanted to move, Adelaide's legs didn't seem to be listening to her brain.

Lucifer began to chant in an ancient language she would never be able to comprehend and then turned to the men in the field. Adelaide was too busy trying to will her shock-ridden body to move to listen to what he was commanding them. She heard their monotonous replies but was too frightened to care. But she did notice when, one by one, the men's heads flashed gold and they fell over, dead. So they were demons then. How much had she missed? Adelaide looked in panic over at Dean to see that he was thankfully alive and watching too. Lucifer noticed Sam's horrified expression and shrugged.

"What? They're just demons." Apparently, Crowley was right about the Devil's apathy. The angel in question stared into the mass grave with a self-satisfied smile on his face. Dean glanced fearfully between his brother and Lucifer as the ground began to rumble beneath their feet. Adelaide gasped, and started to make her way over to where the brothers were cowering. Her legs began to buckle, tears streaming down her face. She reached the brothers just as a very welcome face came into view. Castiel appeared beside them, holding a finger to his lips. He wrapped an arm around Adelaide then grabbed Sam and Dean with both hands, leaving Lucifer and Death behind.

* * *

The glasses from Ellen and Cas's drinking game were still lying on the table. The television was on, the light and sound blaring through the gloomy house. Dean and Sam were stood in front of the fireplace in the old library. Bobby sat to the side, half listening to the television, his eyes staring emptily into the intense flames. Adelaide sat on the edge of the sofa, her forearms resting on her knees, her hands loosely clasped. She was trying to calm herself down. She hadn't known Ellen and Jo that well, but she still couldn't get over the amount of bravery the two hunters had shown in their final moments. And then there was Lucifer and he had accomplished in Carthage. She glanced up at the television as a news reporter began to speak. A black banner crossed the screen, clearly displaying the main headline.

'_We've just received an update that the governor has declared a state of emergency for Paulding County, including the towns of Marion, Fetterville and Carthage. The storm system has reportedly touched off a number of tornadoes in the area.'_

The destruction that Lucifer and his actions had caused was catastrophic. The whole country was going crazy, tsunamis in the East and droughts in the West. Tornadoes, earthquakes, an all manner of inconceivable disasters. With a weary sigh and a sick stomach, Adelaide heaved herself up off the sofa and stood behind Bobby and the others gathered around the fireplace. She saw that Bobby hadn't been staring into the fire, but at the picture they had taken yesterday. She glanced at Sam, hoping that he would send her his usual reassuring smile, but he and his brother continued to stare into the flames.

'_Death tolls have yet to be estimated, but state officials expect the loss of life and property to be staggering.'_

Bobby leaned forward and to Adelaide's surprise and dismay, he dropped the picture into the crackling blaze. She watched the fire lick at the photograph, the black and white figures staring morosely back at her. She thought she heard Dean's breathing hitch as the flames spread over Jo's beautiful, young face but Adelaide couldn't pull her gaze away from the crackling fire. The four hunters heard the familiar sound of wings flapping behind them, and they all slowly turned to see who it was. Adelaide had expected Castiel to have returned, to give his apologies and try to come up with a new plan. But it was Gabriel who stood in the kitchen, not his brother.

Adelaide saw Dean's face harden and knew instantly what he was thinking. It was clear that he partially blamed the archangel for Ellen and Jo's deaths. Adelaide understood, it looked like Gabriel had deserted them, left them for dead. But she knew better. The older Winchester glared at the archangel and moved towards the library door. He didn't say anything to Gabriel, but the angel knew he was meant to follow the hunter outside. He nodded to Sam and Bobby as he made his way out of the floor, following Dean. Gabriel stopped in the doorway and looked back at Adelaide. She had returned her attention to the fire and, after making sure that no one was looking, she reached into the flames and pulled something from the embers. He frowned, and decided to ask her about it later, after Dean was done yelling at him. Adelaide quickly walked away from the fire and up to her room, where she knew the boys wouldn't disturb her.

She was lying on her bed ten minutes later, listening to Dean take out his anger on the archangel outside. She couldn't quite make out his words, but from his tone, he was definitely furious at Gabriel's 'abandonment'. After a while, the voices ceased, and she supposed that Dean had gone back inside. She assumed that Gabriel would make himself scarce, but a second or two later, she heard the sound of wings flapping. She sat up on her elbows and saw Gabriel standing with his back to her door. He gave her a weak smile.

"Hey, gorgeous." He greeted, but the warmth was gone from his voice. Adelaide sat up properly and crossed her legs.

"Don't call me that." She replied, and she was surprised at the severity of her tone. Gabriel too seemed a little startled, but it didn't last long. He slowly made his way across the room and stood awkwardly beside her bed for a moment, before finally lowering himself carefully onto the mattress, as if afraid she would lash out if he got too close. Adelaide moved her legs so that they hung over the edge of the bed, mirroring his position. They were silent for a while, and Adelaide spent the time studying his hands clasped tightly in his lap.

"The hunters, Ellen and Jo," Gabriel began quietly, unsurely. Adelaide looked up and found he was still staring down at the old floorboards. "Were you good friends?" Perhaps he felt guilty. Perhaps he too thought it was his fault that Ellen and Jo had been killed. Adelaide didn't want him to feel like that. Dean shouldn't have taken his anger out on the archangel, but he had cared about the women greatly. She understood his frustration. It was all such a mess. Adelaide lowered her gaze to his hands again and slightly shook her head.

"I only met them yesterday." She told him softly. Gabriel nodded, his eyes still locked on the floor.

"Right." He said slowly, his reply sounding awkward and floundering in the heaviness of the air in Bobby's house. They were silent once again, broken only when Adelaide cleared her throat.

"She was only twenty-five." Her voice cracked and she bit her lip. That was it for Gabriel. That was all it took for the awkward air between them to break, allowing him to relax his shoulders and move closer to her. He noticed that her fingers were burnt and red from where she'd pulled whatever it was from the fire. He wouldn't ask her about it, not now.

"Here." He said as he gently took her hand in his. Adelaide hissed as his fingers brushed over her raw skin, but the sensation quickly turned pleasant as he worked his magic and fixed her injury. After a moment or two, he let go of her hand and she raised her fingers to see that her skin was fresh and unblemished. She noticed that the gash on her other arm was fixed too. She gave him a small smile.

"That's the second time you've done that." She said, raising the hand he had healed and waving it pointedly. Gabriel huffed.

"I'll stop doing it when you stop hurting yourself." He shot back quietly, that lovely smile of his starting to reappear. Adelaide could feel the weight of her troubles and anxieties lifting from her shoulders as she joked with the archangel, and she wondered whether that was some kind of angel trick, or whether he genuinely made her happy.

"I'm not doing it on purpose." She muttered, glaring at him good-naturedly. Gabriel raised his eyebrows and nudged her shoulder with his.

"Sure it's not just an excuse to hold my hand?" He said cheekily and Adelaide snorted.

"Very sure." She told him, finally beginning to relax for the first time in a long while. Gabriel returned her smile and looked back down at his hands again. He thought about the ordeal that Adelaide had been through and the bravery it took to face the Devil and angels and everything in-between. He smiled fondly and nudged her shoulder again, keeping the contact a little longer this time. Adelaide smiled back, not realising just how content the archangel made her feel. They made each other better, and that was more important than anything. When Adelaide went to sleep that night, she was not haunted by the horrors she had seen that day. She was calm and peaceful, happy in the knowledge that her best friend would be with her tomorrow. And although she didn't know it, she had an archangel watching over her.


	7. Chapter 7

The sky was a bleak grey colour when Adelaide begrudgingly awoke the next morning. After dragging herself from her bed, she stopped to gaze out at the colourless horizon, and hours later, she was still standing there. Yesterday had been a bad day, there was no denying it. She couldn't bear thinking about Ellen and Jo. Then there was Lucifer, whose powers grew stronger by the day, and now Death, who was just as formidable. Sam, Dean and Bobby's despondent attitudes seemed irreparable. Their plan hadn't worked and they had failed the Earth. That was quite a heavy burden to bear. Adelaide shook her head, knowing that if she got too caught up in her sadness, she wouldn't be able to pull herself out of it again.

On the windowsill beside her crossed arms, her phone buzzed angrily. She glanced at the screen and felt her dreary mood start to lift as she saw that the text message was from her best friend. She smiled and unlocked the phone, quickly reading the message. Lee would be here in just a short while. At least there was some good news. She quickly got dressed and made her way downstairs. Adelaide found Sam in the kitchen, but the others were nowhere to be seen. He looked up when he heard the floorboards creaking under her feet and to her surprise, he smiled at her. At least things were beginning to get back to normal. She slid into the seat across from Sam and returned the smile. He was tapping away at his laptop so she didn't want to disturb him, but she felt like she should at least try to start a conversation.

"Haven't heard from Cas in a while. Is he okay, d'you reckon?" She asked and Sam looked up over the laptop screen, but only briefly.

"I'm sure he's fine. He is an angel, after all." He replied and Adelaide couldn't help but smirk.

"That he is." She said, picturing the frankly unfairly attractive celestial being in her head. Apparently, her thoughts had shown on her face.

"What?" Sam asked and Adelaide focused back on him.

"What?" She asked innocently and Sam raised his eyebrows.

"What was that look?"

"What look?"

"_That_ look."

"There's no look." Sam sat up straight in his chair and shook his head, a grin starting to appear on his face.

"Oh, my God. You think he's attractive." He realised and Adelaide snorted.

"Can you blame me?" She said, making Sam laugh. "It's not my fault that out of all the angels you guys could've adopted, you picked a hot one." Sam looked back down at his computer but still kept up their little argument.

"Don't let Gabriel here you talking like that, he'll never speak to you again." He said, smiling cheekily. Adelaide was a little confused by his comment but didn't question it further.

"Oh, no. What a shame." She drawled, propping her chin up on her hand. Sam raised a steaming mug of coffee to his lips and Adelaide eyed it jealously. She was just about to get up and make herself a drink when a thought struck her. "What time is it, d'you know?" Sam's eyes flew to the bottom corner of his laptop screen.

"Uh, it's quarter past two." He relayed the information. Adelaide's eyes widened and she jumped up from her chair.

"Oh, I've gotta get a move on." She said, more to herself than Sam. The younger Winchester was confused for a moment before he remembered what Adelaide had told them a couple of days ago.

"Is Lee coming today?" He asked and Adelaide nodded.

"Yep, she's getting to the airport at three." She told him as she moved into the library to grab her bag. She rooted through it to make sure her car keys and everything else necessary were inside before she hurried back into the kitchen, grabbing her shoes on her way past.

"The airport is, like, ten minutes away, why're you leaving now?" Sam asked. His brow was furrowed with confusion but his smile began to return as he watched Adelaide wrestle with her bag whilst she pulled on her boots.

"I just like being early." Adelaide said defensively, grunting slightly as she pulled on her second shoe. She straightened up and let out a huff of air before she was moving again, tying her long blonde hair up into ponytail. "It's definitely not because I'm excited to see her or anything." She said, pretending to be nonchalant.

"See who?" Asked a third voice. Adelaide turned to find Dean standing in the doorway, his usual smirk in place. Adelaide was glad to see that he'd gotten his anger and guilt about Ellen and Jo under control. It was a terrible thing to happen, especially because the brothers had been so close to the Harvelles. But hunters couldn't be sentimental, it usually ended up getting them killed. Ellen and Jo wouldn't want them to mope around, they'd want them to keep fighting. Thankfully, Dean seemed to have realised this himself. Or at least, he was putting on a brave face.

"My bestie." Adelaide told him, shrugging her shoulders slightly.

"Who she is _very_ excited to see." Added Sam from his seat at the table. Adelaide shot him a look.

"Shut up." She said darkly, then her face broke out into a smile. "Bye." She chirped before she hurried out of the kitchen to the back. Dean heard the door slam and raised his eyebrows.

"She's adorable." He muttered, rolling his eyes at their new friend's behaviour. Sam laughed and then pouted.

"I wish you were that excited to see me." Dean snorted and repeated Adelaide's earlier words.

"Shut up."

* * *

Just as Sam had said, the drive to the airport was extremely short. Adelaide was surprised that there even was an airport in such a little town but she wasn't going to question it. Just another way that America was different to her home. After about half an hour of trying to navigate the small airport (another secret reason why she had left so early) she eventually found the gate she was looking for. Well, it found her.

"Adelaide!" A shout to her left made her turn. With a huge sigh of relief, Adelaide saw her best friend and partner standing a little way off, loaded with bags like a pack mule and smiling brightly. The two women half walked, half ran across the little airport and met in the middle. Adelaide immediately threw her arms around her best friend's shoulders, hugging her tight despite all the bags she was carrying. Lee squeezed her back just as tightly. When two people who have been at each other's sides for as long as Lee and Adelaide have eventually do part, even for a short while, the pain of missing one another is incredible. Adelaide eventually pulled herself off her friend and beamed at her.

"How are you?" She asked, looking Lee up and down. Her friend hadn't changed in the slightest. She had a wild mess of curly brown hair and big brown eyes that could usually get them out of any sticky situation. She was taller than Adelaide as well (not a difficult feat, but she'd always been a little envious of it) and she was curvy, with strong arms and legs from her life as a hunter.

"I'm great, it's so good to see you!" Lee replied excitedly. She slipped one of her heavy bags off her shoulder and passed it to Adelaide, who took it without hesitation. "How are you?"

"Amazing, man." Adelaide laughed. She picked up a few more of Lee's bags, commenting on the weight of them grumpily. "How's James?" She asked as they began to walk through the airport. James was Lee's older brother. A few weeks ago, he'd been hunting a kitsune in the Highlands and was seriously hurt. Lee had immediately rushed home to see him. Her family was close-knit, the distance didn't matter.

"He's fine. Well, he broke both his legs, but he's alright." She said, then she rolled her eyes. "You're only asking because you used to fancy him." Adelaide gasped.

"I did not!" She retorted indignantly, nudging Lee in the ribs and making her yelp. They made it out of the enormous glass doors and Lee sighed exhaustedly.

"Let's get going. I'm knackered and that aeroplane food was awful." She muttered as Adelaide led them over to her car, parked a short distance from the airport entrance.

"Okay, princess." She teased and Lee swiped for her, but thankfully missed. They loaded the car in no time, despite the sheer volume of bags that Lee had brought with her. They had been driving for a few minutes, idly chatting and catching up when Lee brought up something that nearly made Adelaide swerve the car.

"Oh, I talked to your mum while I was home. She couldn't get round to see us, but she said she's missed you a lot." Adelaide gripped the steering wheel a little tighter as guilt shot through her. She grimaced and didn't look at her friend as she replied.

"I haven't been home in a while." She said quietly, changing gears expertly without even thinking about it. The gentle purr of her beloved car bought her some comfort, but the way the conversation was heading could not be ignored.

"In a year." Lee informed her as she reapplied her lipstick in the mirror above her head. Adelaide nearly swerved the car again.

"What? No, it can't be that long!" Then she thought about it a little more and began to feel ashamed. "Oh, my God." She muttered and Lee snorted.

"'Oh, my God' is right." She watched with a small smile as Adelaide ran a hand though her hair, a look of complete and utter remorse on her face.

"Ugh, I feel so guilty." She groaned, only just stopping herself from banging her head against the steering wheel. Lee snorted again, which Adelaide couldn't help but find a little unsympathetic.

"You should do." Lee agreed and Adelaide turned to her briefly.

"You know, you're not helping." She grumbled and Lee chuckled, putting the cap back on her red lipstick and stowing it in one of her many bags.

"How about we go back in the next couple of weeks?" She suggested, trying to resolve the situation and calm her friend down. Adelaide suddenly felt guilty for an entirely different reason. There was a pause as she glanced at her friend.

"Um, that might be a bit tricky." She said slowly. Lee frowned.

"Why?" Adelaide hadn't told her everything. She had meant to, she really had, but in all honesty, it was far too much madness to explain in one phone call. She glanced at Lee again and smiled ruefully.

"Well, you know I told you about these hunters I met..." She said, carefully choosing her words.

"Right." Lee replied slowly, beginning to get a little worried. Adelaide let out a nervous chuckle as she turned right. They were only a few minutes from Bobby's place.

"It may all be a little bit bigger than I said on the phone." She admitted. Lee narrowed her eyes. She knew her friend well enough to know that she wasn't going to like what she was about to tell her.

"How big?"

* * *

Dean had taken the laptop away from Sam after a short scuffle and was now surfing the net for their next hunt. He needed to take his mind off things. He needed to get out in the open air, not keep himself locked away in the house. Dean knew that he needed a distraction. He'd take anything, really, it didn't have to be new and exciting, it just had to be something.

"Hello, boys." Dean slowly closed his eyes. Well, almost anything. Anything but _that_. Dean looked up and saw Gabriel sitting in the seat across from him, his eyebrows raised and a lollipop stuck in his smirking mouth.

"What're you doing here?" Dean growled. Sam, having heard voices, entered the kitchen and scowled when he saw Gabriel. The angel snorted, not seeming to care about the heated glares he was getting.

"As I recall, you guys asked me to help you out." He drawled but Sam shook his head, his lips pursed.

"We didn't call you today." He said, not in the mood for messing around. Gabriel shook his head, tsking under his breath.

"You can't pick and choose." He said. Then he looked around the kitchen and the adjoining room, leaning backwards in his chair. "Is, uh, Adelaide around?" He asked innocently. Dean rolled his eyes and returned his attention back to Sam's laptop.

"She's gone to pick up her friend from the airport." He told the angel wearily. Gabriel looked somewhat disappointed but he nodded all the same.

"Ah." He said simply. He looked between the brothers with a slight smile, like he knew just how annoying he was being and was very pleased with himself. "So, what are you guys up to?" He asked eventually and Sam actually let out a disbelieving laugh.

"Small talk? Really?" Gabriel shrugged, smiling brightly up at the younger Winchester.

"I'm just talking." He said sweetly and Dean snorted.

"You came to talk to Adelaide." He corrected him without looking up from a Wikipedia page about a haunted little town up North. Gabriel looked offended, like he couldn't believe they would accuse him of such a thing.

"What, no, c'mon, I like seeing you guys too." He assured them. Sam nearly smiled, but remembered that they weren't supposed to like the archangel and promptly swapped his smile for a scowl. Gabriel looked between them again then sighed. "Fine, you guys don't wanna talk to me, I'll go talk to Bobby." He said, standing up from the table and walking out of the kitchen, heading towards the back door.

"He's gonna hate that!" Dean called after him.

"I know!" Came Gabriel's happy reply. Dean shook his head, determined not to smile at his actions, and started to check out the little town he planned to visit next.

"Pain in the ass." He muttered and Sam grunted in agreement.

"_Helpful_ pain in the ass." He added. Dean shot him a look and Sam quickly changed his answer. "_Useful_ pain in the ass." He corrected himself and Dean snorted. Sam began to follow the direction Gabriel had left in. "I'll check on Bobby. Make sure he hasn't shot him." Dean let out a chuckle.

"Like that would be a bad thing?" He shouted after his brother as he rounded the corner. Then he closed the laptop lid and made his way into the library, planning to follow his brother. Seeing Gabriel and Bobby talk would be very amusing. But then he heard a familiar flapping sound and smirked. "Back already?" Dean asked as he turned around. He'd expected Gabriel to have come back inside with his tail tucked between his legs, but in the kitchen stood Cas and a young man he didn't recognise. "Cas?" He breathed, surprised that the angel had showed up after so long without a word. "Where the hell have you been?" Castiel tilted his head on one side, his eyes stern.

"Busy." He muttered pointedly. Dean gestured to the man accompanying him. He had light brown hair and bright blue eyes. He seemed relatively harmless, but the hunter knew that looks were very often deceiving and remained wary. What was surprising was that he was wearing a fast food restaurant uniform. He frowned at the second man and turned to Cas again.

"Who's your friend?" He asked curiously and the second man finally spoke.

"I am Samandriel." He introduced himself simply. Ah, so another angel then. Dean's frowned only deepened.

"Samandra- What?" He repeated, the odd name tricky on his tongue. The young man pressed his lips together in frustration but tried again all the same.

"Samand- Never mind." He said, thinking better of it. Before Dean could ask any more questions, Gabriel's voice interrupted their conversation. They could hear the archangel as he walked through the corridors connecting the library to the back door, his voice getting louder as he drew steadily closer.

"Hey, Deano, gotta guy on the phone called Martin somethin'. He says he's in a crazy house so I'd take what he says with a piece of salt. But you know, one of those huge block things they give to…" Gabriel's voice trailed off as he entered the room and saw the two angels standing by the kitchen doorway. He froze, his golden eyes wide. Samandriel nodded his head in greeting.

"Hello, Gabriel." He said politely. Dean glanced at Gabriel, watching the angel as he slowly started to relax his stance now that he knew he wasn't in any danger.

"Samandriel." He replied, nodding his head back. Then he paused, looking between the two angels thoughtfully. Eventually, he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Well, you could've called first." He told them. Dean opened his mouth to say something, but yet another voice interrupted him.

"They should be just through here. This is where they usually-" Adelaide walked in through the same doorway that Gabriel had just come in through, talking to another woman with dark hair and eyes. She led her into the room but stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide as she took in the scene before her. "Oh." She said, looking curiously at each person in turn. "Hello." Adelaide glanced over her shoulder at her companion then narrowed her eyes slightly. She turned to Dean, clearly taken-aback. "What's..? What's happening?"

"Who's this?" Castiel asked, pointing at the woman beside Adelaide. The hunter immediately lowered her shoulders, beginning to relax.

"This' Lee Costello, my partner. I told you she'd be helping us out with, you know, the Apocalypse." She introduced her friend, who smiled at them all nervously, raising her hand and wiggling her fingers.

"Hi." She said, trying not to look too intimidated. Nobody noticed it, but as soon as Adelaide entered the room, Gabriel immediately brightened up, his posture straightening and his eyes never leaving her. He smiled a little as he addressed the hunter, who was still frowning at the eclectic group of strangers in the library.

"Hey, gorgeous. I missed you." He called from his seat on the arm of the sofa. Adelaide turned her head to Gabriel and raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Missed you too, Angel AWOL." She replied drily. The archangel winced and sucked in a sharp breath, but his smile never left.

"Oof, ouch." He said, then gave her wink. Adelaide rolled her eyes, but had to fight to keep back a smile of her own. To make things even more confusing and the room even more crowded, Sam suddenly came loping in. It appeared that Gabriel had taken too long and so he'd been sent after him to relay the message.

"Dean, you should really-" He stopped mid-stride when he saw the variety of people standing in the library. Adelaide saw Lee raise her eyebrows but her friend didn't say anything.

"This is crazy." Dean muttered, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes. Sam frowned,

"What's happening?" He asked. A question they all wanted to know the answer to.

"I've brought more help." Castiel said, nodding at Samandriel who gave a proud little smile. Like that made anything less confusing. As the men in the room began to argue and shout, Lee leaned to the side without taking her eyes off the scene before her and murmured quietly to her friend.

"Should I be shooting anyone?" She inquired, and Adelaide shook her head slightly.

"You're good."

"Dean?" Sam pressed, eyeing the new faces warily. His brother turned to him, hating himself for somehow getting caught up in the middle of all the madness. He raised his hands exasperatedly.

"Look, I don't-"

"Dean."

"Dean?"

"Dean!"

"Everybody! Shut your yaps!" The collective group of hunters and angels jumped at the sudden loud shout and turned to see Bobby sitting in the doorway. Everyone was immediately quiet, even those who didn't know Bobby seemed to understand that they should keep their mouths shut. Bobby pushed himself into the library and studied them all intently for a moment before he turned his head to Lee. "Firstly, who the hell are you?" He asked her. The hunter looked a little alarmed at being the first to be addressed, but answered all the same.

"I'm Lee, I'm Adelaide's partner. Here to help." She summarised, smiling slightly at the older man. Bobby nodded, glad to have gotten at least one thing straight. Then he turned to Castiel and his friend who were still standing stoic in the kitchen doorway.

"Who's the kid?" He asked and the younger looking angel knew he must have been talking about him.

"I am Samandriel." He introduced himself again. Bobby narrowed his eyes at the young man and twisted his lips thoughtfully.

"Angel?" He guessed. Lee's eyes widened.

"_Angel_?" She repeated. Adelaide nodded sympathetically, she knew this must be quite a lot of information to take in.

"Yeah, one, two, three are angels." She said, pointing at Gabriel, Castiel and Samandriel in turn. Lee took a moment to process this then nodded her head slowly.

"Okay." She breathed. Of course, Adelaide had told her all about the angels, both over the phone and in the car, but Lee hadn't thought she'd be meeting three of them the minute she walked in the door.

"Samandriel is here to help also." Dean said, repeating Lee's words. Bobby frowned at Samandriel suspiciously.

"That true?" He asked and the angel nodded.

"Yes, I believe the Winchesters should not have to agree to either Michael or Lucifer." He stated matter-of-factly. Again, Lee's eyes widened.

"Lucifer?" She repeated, glancing at her friend. Adelaide twisted her lip and nodded as she watched Bobby talk to the angel.

"Yeah, he's in it too."

"Is it usually like this?"

"A bit, yeah." Bobby seemed to have gathered all the information he needed for now and he sat back in his chair, his eyes stern and steady.

"Okay," He said slowly. "Now that's all figured out, let's get on with things." Everyone stared after Bobby as he rolled himself over to his desk. Was that it? Adelaide glanced at Cas and his friend. They looked at each other briefly but didn't say a word. Everyone, hunter and angel alike, was a little put off by how calmly and quickly Bobby had sorted the chaotic situation. There was still a little confusion as to why everyone was there and who they all were, but that didn't seem to faze Bobby Singer.

"Get on with what?" Adelaide asked finally, after she'd gotten her head straight. Bobby sat behind his desk and started studying the papers and books that were scattered there.

"We've gotta come up with a new plan." Dean answered for him. He looked to Lee, who was trying to subtlety look around the room. Her dark eyes met his as he spoke, embarrassed at being caught snooping. "I'm sure Lady filled you in on everything." He said to her and Lee smiled wryly.

"I tried, there's quite a lot to explain." Adelaide replied for her, twisting her lips apologetically.

"I got the gist of it. Angles, demons, Apocalypse, Lucifer, Michael…" Lee finally dropped the bags she was carrying onto the floor by her feet then straightened up again. "A lot of shit, really." She added with a quirk of a smile. That seemed to amuse Bobby.

"That about sums it all up, yeah." He agreed as he ran his eyes over a document covered with pencil-drawn pictures of monsters. Then he glanced up at the younger looking angel standing next to Castiel and frowned at him. "What did you say your name was, kid?" The angel frowned a little, slightly annoyed that he had to repeat his name yet again, but he replied all the same.

"Samandriel."

"That's a mouthful." Commented Dean, who had previously attempted to pronounce the angel's name and failed miserably. Bobby chuckled to himself as he looked the angel up and down, then returned his attention to the ancient piece of paper he was holding.

"Angels working at Weiner Hut now?" He joked. "Times gettin' hard?" Adelaide couldn't help but crack a smile, despite not having the slightest idea what a Weiner Hut was. Samandriel shifted from foot to foot in embarrassment as they teased him.

"This- This was the nearest vessel on short notice." He mumbled, his lips pursed. Lee smiled at the angel's words. He seemed quite sweet, shy even, which didn't match Adelaide's description of the angels at all.

"And you wanna help?" Bobby checked. Castiel was pretty much stuck with them, Gabriel had been a long shot, but he didn't know what they'd done to deserve the luck of three angels on their side. Samandriel was on much safer ground with this question and he seemed to brighten up a little as he spoke.

"Yes, Castiel and I have known each other for a long time. If he believes in you, then so do I." He stated proudly, but Sam let out a derisive snort.

"You don't even know us." He said and Samandriel frowned curiously back at him.

"All angels know about the Winchesters." He said, as if it was obvious. The two brothers looked uncomfortable for a moment as all eyes turned to them. Gabriel nodded his head in agreement.

"Even I knew about you and, like gorgeous said, I've been AWOL for a long time." Adelaide narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head.

"Don't call me that." She warned him, but Gabriel only winked at her again. Lee noticed the exchange and put it to the back of her mind to ask about later. Meanwhile, Dean looked quite surprised that anyone would want to help them so eagerly, especially if he knew all about them. They didn't exactly have the best track record, after all. But if Samandriel wanted to help them, he certainly wasn't going to turn him down. He stepped towards the angel and gave Samandriel a welcoming smile.

"Thanks," He said, raising his hand for him to shake. He paused, and looked down at the name tag pinned to the angel's uniform. "Alfie." He read. Samandriel looked a little annoyed that he had used his vessel's name but he didn't say anything. Instead he eyed Dean's hand warily.

"You're supposed to shake it." Castiel told him quietly. "It's a sign of solidarity and companionship between humans." Samandriel glanced at him doubtfully but took Dean's hand. The hunter grinned as he turned away from the angels and walked towards Bobby's desk. "One more angel on our side." Dean said happily. After this, everyone seemed to realise simultaneously that they were all just standing around. Lee was the first to move, making herself at home quickly. She'd been a hunter since birth, home was wherever she hung her shotgun. She dumped her bags by the sofa then sat down. Adelaide joined her, taking the seat next to where Gabriel was sitting. Dean got comfortable on the edge of Bobby's desk and Sam leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. Castiel and Samandriel chose to remain standing.

"So… Plan?" Adelaide asked slowly, looking between the two Winchesters and Bobby expectantly. Beside her, still in his seat on the arm of the sofa, Gabriel let out a quiet sigh.

"How about we take a break from plans." He suggested and Adelaide frowned up at him in confusion. The archangel was probably worried about his brother, especially now that he had freed Death. If he had been worried about his brother's well-being before, he certainly had reason to be cautious now.

"Oh, because you were so influential in the last one?" Dean practically growled. Gabriel sank back a little in his seat at the anger behind his words. Adelaide's eyes widened and she raised one hand as a sign of peace.

"Okay." She said slowly, quietly and Dean crossed his arms, turning his eyes to the floor. Adelaide saw Gabriel smiling gratefully at her but she didn't meet his gaze. Beside her, Lee was looking between the three with confusion. Yet another thing she would have to ask about later. Bobby grunted as he pulled out one of his desk drawers.

"Wings has got a point." He said as he placed a pile of papers into the open drawer. Gabriel looked surprised that Bobby would agree with him, but he kept silent, not wishing to jinx his luck. Bobby glanced up at Dean. "He tell you that we got a call from Martin Creaser?" Dean frowned.

"Martin Creaser?" He repeated, not recognising the name. He glanced at Sam who shook his head. He didn't know the man either.

"Old friend of your dad's." Bobby explained and Dean's face lit up in recognition.

"That Martin? Albuquerque Martin?" He said, and Adelaide couldn't help but wonder what he meant by that. "What'd he want?"

"Something fishy going on in the hospital he's in. Wants you boys to check it out." Bobby said, relaying the information Martin had rushed through on the phone. He was only allowed a few minutes on the telephone in the hospital, and it was a lot of crazy to explain in such a short space of time. "It'd be good to accept the invite. See Martin, keep certain things off your mind." He added meaningfully. Lee looked to Adelaide and she nodded. She had explained about what she had missed yesterday, about Ellen and Jo.

"Actually, that sounds good." Adelaide said to her partner. "I know you just got here, but there's something spooky hanging around these mines a couple of miles away. Wanna check it out?" She grinned excitedly. She had missed the thrill of the chase, the exhilaration of the hunt. And most importantly, she had missed her friend. Adelaide couldn't wait to get the cool air back in her lungs and the heavy gun back in her eager hands. "Locals say it's the ghost of a guy who died down there a century ago." Lee grinned back, just as excited.

"Sounds sufficiently freaky. I'm in." She said happily. Then a thought struck her and she realised she hadn't properly introduced herself to the people she would be staying with for the foreseeable future. She stood up and, in the way that her parents had taught her, politely greeted her new team. "Lovely to meet you all, by the way." She said civilly. "And thank you for allowing me to stay in your home." She added to Bobby, who simply raised a hand and grunted.

"Okay. Let's get you set up in my room." Adelaide said and they gathered up Lee's bags. As Adelaide led her friend to the stairs, Dean suddenly smirked and called after them.

"You can share my bed, if you want." He suggested, while his brother groaned and rolled his eyes. Lee didn't bother turning around but she did call back to him as she climbed the stairs.

"Go fuck yourself." Dean's eyes widened and Sam let out a loud laugh, deciding he liked Lee just as much as her partner.

"Wow." Murmured Dean, turning to the full room. "And there was me thinking that Lady was the mean one."

* * *

A few hours later, Lee was fully unpacked and immersed in the Winchesters' lives. She was up-to-date on everything that had happened to them over the past few years and what was going to happen in the future. Yes, it was a lot to take in, but as Adelaide had already told them, Lee really didn't take kindly to 'faffing about'. The Winchesters found their new ally to be sharp-tongued but also very easy-going and quiet. She let Adelaide do most of the talking, but she was always listening intently. She had dark eyes that seemed to see right through you and her posture and elegance did not suit her career choice. The moment they saw her open a beer bottle with just the heel of her palm, they knew she would fit right in.

It was getting late and everyone was downstairs again. Some had spread into the kitchen due to the library being much too small to fit all of the members of their team. Dean was chatting to Adelaide in the kitchen whilst Gabriel listened in and made the odd unhelpful comment every so often. Castiel was talking quietly with Bobby in the library. And Samandriel… Well, Samandriel was about to make the first in a series of many scary steps. He was about to converse, unaccompanied, with a human. The prospect was terrifying. His aim was to strike up a friendly conversation with Lee, the dark-haired companion of Adelaide Kingsley. He knew a little about her already, like most angels knew about humans. For instance, he knew that the name she was going by was not her full name. This was the topic he hoped to start his conversation with. Samandriel took a deep breath and walked up behind the woman. She was talking to Sam and he knew it was rude to interrupt, but their conversation didn't seem to too intense so he decided it would be alright to join them.

"Amelia Lee?" He asked quietly. Too quietly. The woman didn't turn around. He cleared his throat, attempting to try again, but that got her attention instead. She glanced over her shoulder at him and looked startled to find a stranger standing so close to her without her knowing it. The hunter turned, frowned and blinked owlishly up at him. She raised her eyebrows, a human subtlety he had learned meant he should continue, and smiled slightly. Samandriel was momentarily distracted by the small dimples that appeared by her mouth when her lips turned upwards.

"Yes?" She reiterated, tilting her head to one side slightly. She noticed the way he had been about to speak, but remained silent, as if something had suddenly caught his attention. He kept his pale blue eyes on her as a small smile spread across his own lips.

"You're Amelia Lee?" He inquired again. She looked surprised and he immediately worried he'd offended her in some way. Perhaps he'd been too forward. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, its fine. I'm fine." She interrupted him with a raised hand. Samandriel visibly relaxed and the woman shrugged her shoulders. "Just no one's called me that in a long time." She added in a quieter voice. Samandriel frowned,

"I'm sorry to hear that." He told her earnestly. It really was a lovely name, it seemed a shame that no one got to spend their time saying it. Lee smiled again and Samandriel couldn't help but wonder about the woman. Did she always smile so often? Or was it only for him? He knew that was rather selfish of him, but he couldn't help himself.

"I choose to be called Lee." She told him, that bright smile still in place, her dimples still infuriatingly distracting. "Amelia Lee was just too... You know." Samandriel didn't know, but he nodded politely all the same. There was a silence between them for a moment that Lee thought she should fill, so she stumbled into her next sentence, startling the angel slightly. "My mum, she wanted to name me after the Edgar Allen Poe poem but she knew this woman called Annabel who was a real bitch so she changed it to Amelia." She told him, only realising halfway through her sentence that she'd just sworn in front of an angel and he probably wasn't at all interested in the poem and/or her family. But Samandriel laughed a little. He liked the way she talked. There was a brief silence again as Samandriel thought this, which Lee misinterpreted as him losing interest in her. "It's got angels in it, the poem." She said suddenly. "'And neither the angels in Heaven above nor the demons down under the sea can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee.'" Samandriel noted how her tone changed as she spoke, her accent tightening around the delicate words of the poem. He frowned slightly when she looked down at the floor in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I'm reciting poetry at you. That's really sad." She muttered. Samandriel shook his head even though she couldn't see him.

"It's not sad." He assured her. He frowned again when she laughed a little and slightly shook her head in disbelief.

"I'm talking to an angel and he doesn't think I'm sad. This is so weird." She said, almost to herself. Samandriel exhaled through his nose and cocked his head onto one side, trying desperately to work her out. Humans were so complex, each one of them different beyond their capacity to imagine. Meeting people was hard because he wanted to understand them fully, but it took time. The case, it seemed, would be the same for Amelia Lee, the hunter with the poetic name and a tendency to feel obliged to fix a situation, no matter how embarrassing the consequences.

"I liked it." He told her. She looked up and he felt the need to expand on his comment. "The poem, I liked it." He continued, his blue eyes earnest and soft. He glanced at the floor then back up to her as if not sure whether he should say what he was thinking. "I like you." He added eventually. His words made her smile split into a huge grin that made Samandriel's chest tighten in a way he didn't understand and would have to ask Castiel about later. He grinned back, making The Feeling grow, whether that was positive or negative, he couldn't be sure. The woman stuck out her hand for him to shake.

"Amelia Lee Costello, at your service." She told him. Samandriel took her hand in his and shook gently, putting into practice what Dean had taught him earlier.

"I'm Samandriel." He told her brightly. This seemed to amuse the hunter.

"Samandriel." She repeated, trying the name out for the first time. The angel noticed The Feeling intensify and in that moment, all he could think about was how his name had never sounded better than rolling off the tongue of this strange new woman. "And I thought my name was a mouthful." She teased, making Samandriel smile.

"People just tend to call me Alfie, apparently." He said, reaching up and fondling the name tag on his chest. "That's my vessel's name." Lee looked at him for a moment before she seemed to come to a decision about something.

"I like Samandriel better." She told him. The angel felt his chest clench in the way he didn't understand again and smiled slightly.

"I like Amelia Lee better." He replied. Lee's eyes seemed to shine brighter in the dark room at his words. Her lips turned upwards in that distracting way again and she nodded her head, her wild hair bouncing with the movement.

"Thank you." She murmured, unable to stop herself from beaming up at the angel. She spoke to Samandriel a little longer before she noticed Gabriel sitting alone. She didn't want to leave Samandriel's company in the slightest, finding herself instantly charmed by the kind angel, but she needed to speak with Gabriel urgently. She smiled at Samandriel one last time before she managed to tear herself way from him long enough to walk over to where Gabriel was sat at the small kitchen table. His chin was propped up on his hand, his eyes following something out of her sight. She slid into the seat across from him and raised her eyebrows.

"Gabriel, right?" She said and the archangel's eyes moved up to meet hers. He lifted his chin from his hand and smiled back at her cheekily.

"The one and only." He said, his amber eyes shining with mirth. Lee snorted at his arrogance and shook her head slowly.

"Adelaide was right about you." She said quietly. Gabriel raised his eyebrows.

"About my good looks?"

"About your ego." It was Gabriel's turn to snort and Lee laughed along with him. Then her expression turned serious and she straightened up in her seat. "Now, listen." She proposed, recapturing Gabriel's attention. "Adelaide's told me all about you." Gabriel sat back in his chair, surprised that Adelaide had spoken about him to her friend.

"That right?"

"She told me you were an arsehole." Finished Lee with a hint of a grin. Gabriel smiled, looking down at his hands folded on the table.

"Sounds like Adelaide." Lee leaned forward in her chair conspiringly, making Gabriel look back up again.

"But she also told me that she trusts you." She informed him. "And that, for my bestie, means a lot." Gabriel's lips parted in surprise, his usual sharp way with words evading him as Lee's words sank in.

"She trusts me?" He repeated dumbly. No one had trusted him for a very long time. And to know that Adelaide of all people had put her faith in him... It was unthinkable, he couldn't believe it. But the way Lee was looking at him, so earnest and kind, he knew she wouldn't dare tell a lie. He glanced at Adelaide again, standing by the fridge, laughing with Dean. Lee followed his gaze and realised she was where his eyes had been drawn to before she sat down. With a knowing smile, she stood up from the table and patted his shoulder gently.

"Don't let her down." She warned him and he nodded back at her dutifully. Lee walked back to where Samandriel had settled himself on the old sofa. She flopped down next to him and gave him a toothy smile, continuing their earlier conversation. "So, your wings. Are they the real deal or is that just in the paintings?" Samandriel smiled back but shook his head.

"They're real, but humans can't perceive them." He told her. Lee looked outwardly disappointed. That was another thing that Samandriel had noticed about the woman. She seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve, as the old saying went. She was incredibly expressive, so much so that you always knew what she was felling: happiness, sadness, confusion, anger.

"Oh." She murmured, but kept up her smile all the same.

"Sorry." Samandriel said guilty, worried that he'd let her down her somehow. Lee only laughed and looked up at him curiously.

"You're awfully empathetic for an angel." She noted and Samandriel took her statement seriously.

"I try. It takes practice but it gets easier." He admitted. They were silent for a moment before Lee remembered something she hadn't thought about in a long while. She turned her head to him and nervously began to speak.

"Um, when I was a kid, I read this book and it said that your shoulder blades are where your wings were, when you were an angel. And that's where they'll grow again one day." She blushed and looked down at her lap, her fingernails tapping the faded leather of the sofa. "But obviously that's not quite true." She added quietly, an embarrassed smile on her face.

"I like your version better." Samandriel replied honestly. Lee looked up and saw that he was smiling at her softly. She smiled back.

* * *

Adelaide glanced at her two competitors before sliding out a card and placing it on the table. It was Samandriel's turn. He placed down a card too. His arm tensed but he relaxed again instantly. Lee quickly placed down her card and let out a sharp cry. Her hand flew down hard on the small pile of cards, claiming them as her own, then yelled 'snap!' so loud that the whole house heard it. Adelaide and Lee were sat at the kitchen table, trying and failing to teach Samandriel how to play card games. Poker had proved too difficult and Rummy was out of the question, but the angel excelled at Snap, so that's what they played.

"Damn it." Adelaide grumbled as she looked through her quickly diminishing handful of cards. "I'm sure you must be cheating." Lee only laughed and shuffled her cards with glee. It was late in the evening and all were getting hungry. Bobby sent the Winchesters out to the local convenience store for something they could fashion into dinner for five. The angels had refused dinner and Gabriel had pulled a bag of crisps out of thin air, claiming he was covered. Adelaide looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. "Dean and Sam are back." She announced, just before the boys walked into the library. They carried two plastic bags filled with shopping each and greeted the room full of people with wide smiles. Dean noticed that Samandriel was eyeing the bag interestedly.

"Does Heaven's most adorable angel want something to eat?" Dean said as he placed his bags on the counter with a loud thud. Lee had her feet up on the table, leaning back in her chair as if she owned the place.

"I am quite peckish, yeah. Thanks, Dean." She replied with a wink. The hunter rolled his eyes but Castiel frowned.

"He wasn't taking to you." He told her. Lee looked up with a confused squint whilst Adelaide had to stifle a laugh. "You're not an angel." He continued, and she realised that he hadn't meant to sound rude, he was trying to be helpful. Her smile grew.

"But you _do_ think I'm adorable." She said cheekily, grinning at the angel who frowned again.

"No." He said and Samandriel sat up straighter in his seat.

"I do." He blurted out suddenly. He seemed to grow embarrassed as all the eyes in the room turned to him, some with amusement and some with surprise. Lee looked the most surprised of them all. Samandriel shifted uncomfortably at all the attention, his head slightly bowed. He glanced nervously at Lee and gave a fleeting, uneasy smile. "Well, out of all the humans that I have seen during my stay, your features are the most visually pleasing." He told her honestly, his tone even and candid. There was a brief silence as everyone took in the openness and, frankly, the courage behind the angel's words, until Adelaide broke it with a wolfish grin.

"So, basically, he just said you're the most beautiful person he's ever met." She said to her friend who look both surprised and rather pleased with herself. She stood from the table to get some food, speaking to the angel as she went.

"Well, thank you, Samandriel." She reached down and kissed his cheek quickly as she passed by before she moved to the kitchen counter to unpack the bags Dean and Sam had brought in. Adelaide shook her head fondly and turned back to Samandriel, watching the smile on his face grow. She looked back to Gabriel who sat across from her.

"Am I the most beautiful human you've ever seen?" She asked him and the angel shrugged.

"Eh." He replied noncommittally, making Adelaide laugh.

Dinner consisted of junk food and beer, much to Adelaide's joy and Lee's chagrin. After they had eaten their fill, they were all getting ready to turn in for the night when Lee decided to make it her mission to get Samandriel into some proper clothes. After all, if he was going to accompany them tomorrow on a hunt, he needed to look a hell of a lot less conspicuous.

Samandriel was standing in Dean's room as the hunter rooted through his drawers to look for something that would fit the angel, both in style and size. Lee stood beside Dean's dresser as he sifted through his small amount of clothes. He passed her out a pair of jeans and she tutted and refolded them indignantly. Samandriel watched with trepidation, not really sure what was going on. A black T-shirt and a blue flannel followed this and they were in business.

"Here you go, gorgeous." Lee said as she handed over the pile of clothes. Samandriel took them and looked down at the eyesore of a uniform he currently had on.

"Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?" He asked her and Lee's eyes widened.

"No, it's lovely." She said quickly, not quite meeting the angel's eyes. He didn't seem to notice. "Just, if you're gonna be a hunter, you're gonna need to look a little more inconspicuous." The angel nodded.

"Oh, alright." Dean finished tidying away the mess he'd made and stood next to the two.

"You can borrow them for now and the next time we're in town, we'll get you some more." He said, and Amelia Lee smiled up at him gratefully. Then she turned back to Samandriel who had put the clothes down on the bed.

"So, you can go into the bathroom to get changed..." She trailed off as the angel started to tug at his red tie. Lee watched in a state of utter panic as he began to unbutton his striped uniform. "Or, you can just start taking your clothes off, okay." She mumbled, seemingly unable to look away as the shirt came off and was dropped carelessly to the floor. She took in his pale skin as her gaze travelled down his slightly toned stomach and his slim waist. Samandriel noticed her wide-eyed stare and he frowned at her as he pulled on the black undershirt.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, completely oblivious. Lee nodded furiously, her dark eyes still wide. Dean realised what was making her so flustered and barely hid a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're fine." She rambled. "_I'm_ fine! You're not fine, I'm- Not that you're not- You're great, you're fab but I'm not- I am fine. Fine. Fine, I'm fine." Dean looked down at her and crossed his arms, shaking his head sympathetically.

"You wanna leave?" He asked her and Lee looked up at him quickly.

"Thank you." She breathed. She then turned back to Samandriel as he pulled on the flannel shirt, testing what the material felt like under his palms. "Okay, Samandriel you're all good to go. I'm just gonna- I'm just gonna leave you to it." She panicked again as he smiled at her and then continued to unzip his trousers. She turned on her heel and barely stopped herself from running to the door. "Bye!" She cried. "Bye." She opened the door. "Bye." She yelped one last time for good measure and slammed the door. Samandriel frowned after her in consternation.

"Is she alright?" He asked Dean, his voice full of concern. Dean smiled at him.

"She'll be fine."

* * *

The next morning, the four hunters were preparing to leave. It was a bitterly cold day but the sun was shining, perfect hunting weather. Dean and Sam were going to meet Martin Creaser in the hospital, Adelaide and Lee were heading upstate to the old mines. Castiel was going with the boys, but only in spirit. He wouldn't necessarily be with them at all times, but if they needed him, he was but a prayer away. Samandriel, now that he was dressed for the part, instantly volunteered to accompany the girls on their hunt. Adelaide suspected it was because of the way he followed her friend around like a puppy, but he assured them it was so that they had back up if things went south quickly. Only Gabriel, who had strangely appeared to see them off, hadn't offered his services. Adelaide chucked her bag in the boot and slammed it shut before she turned to the archangel, who was standing by the back door.

"Oi, short-arse, you coming?" She joked, grinning at the angel. Gabriel look surprised at having been addressed so suddenly, but then he looked offended. His mouth was wide open, his arms flung out at his sides.

"You're shorter than me!" He cried, making Adelaide laugh. Then her smile dropped and she pointed at herself.

"I'm not even short, you know. I'm average. _We're_ average." She said. Gabriel chuckled at her annoyed expression as he walked towards her. She pointed over to where Sam and Dean were loading up their car. "It's just with Shaggy and Scooby over there, everything's out of proportion." Gabriel laughed again and stood next to her by the car. Lee was already in the front seat and Samandriel sat in the back. Adelaide could see they were talking amiably like old friends.

"It's my vessel that's short. Ol' Dickey here's only about 5'7". I'm a lot bigger." Gabriel explained. Adelaide raised an eyebrow.

"How big?" She asked, eyes narrowed incredulously. Gabriel grinned at her, clearly feeling quite proud of himself.

"Bigger than the Empire State Building." He told her and Adelaide's jaw actually dropped open.

"But- but that's thing's like fifty stories high!" She gasped and Gabriel shrugged. "Mate." She breathed, impressed despite herself. Gabriel laughed again and Adelaide smiled, pleased that she'd made him laugh. She wasn't sure why it made her happy, so she immediately pushed the feeling right down. "So, you coming?" She asked again. Gabriel studied her for a moment, his bright smile still in place. A gentle breeze swept across the scrapyard, playing with her hair gently. Gabriel let himself get distracted by her for a moment before he tilted his head to one side.

"If you'll have me." He said playfully. Adelaide grinned.

Inside the car, Amelia Lee was reapplying her lipstick in the mirror. Samandriel watched in fascination, not really understanding the point of the make-up, but liking it all the same. It was a deep red colour and it seemed to suit her well. He was quiet as she applied the lipstick, but when she reached for her sunglasses, he let out a cry of surprise and joy.

"Sun protection!" He gasped excitedly. "Can I try?" Lee frowned in confusion, not sure why anyone would get so excited about a pair of sunglasses she'd had for years. She pulled them off and passed them back to him over her shoulder.

"'Course, here you go." She winced slightly as the bright sun invaded her vision. She blinked once or twice, waiting for her eyes to adjust. When she could see again, Samandriel had the sunglasses on. She had never seen anyone smile so widely.

"I've always wanted to try these." He said, turning his head this way and that like he was trying to see what everything looked like through this new kind of vision. "I was almost tempted, when choosing my vessel, to pick someone wearing a pair." He told her and she let out a laugh. Lee saw how happy the sunglasses made him and decided she'd never seen anything so sweet. She sighed, not believing the kind of control the angel had over her without even realising it.

"Keep them." She offered. Samandriel looked back to her, his mouth falling open in surprise. Then he shook his head.

"I couldn't." He said, and pulled the sunglasses off again. Lee turned around in her seat to look back at him properly.

"It's fine, I'm pretty sure I've got another pair at the bottom of my bag somewhere."

"Really?" He asked quietly, his eyebrows drawn together imploringly. He was wringing his hands as he spoke to her. He had never been given a gift before. Lee noticed how the bright sunlight made his already fair hair seem lighter and his sweet eyes seem even bluer. She smiled.

"Yeah! You'll enjoy them a lot more than I do." Samandriel looked down at the first gift he'd ever been given, then up again at the human girl who had given it to him. His smile could've brightened the darkest corner of the Earth. He had never looked more angelic.

"Thank you, Amelia Lee." He said, his voice lower and gentler. Lee studied him for a moment, completely lost in that smile, before she shook her head, shrugging her shoulders.

"It's no problem. Wait till I show you my binoculars." She said, and gave him a wink. The angel's eyes widened.

"You have..." He sat back in his seat, shaking his head. "Oh, my."

Sam and Dean finished packing the Impala with all that they would need and met Adelaide and Gabriel by her car. Adelaide nodded towards where Lee and Samandriel were already sitting in the old Ford.

"We'll be off then." She said and Dean nodded.

"Happy hunting." He replied with a knowing smile. Adelaide returned it then knocked on the window of her car. Inside, Lee looked up and winked serenely at the two boys. That was one of the major differences between the two women that Dean had picked up on. While Adelaide was constantly in motion, tapping her fingers or bouncing her heels as she sat, Lee was the polar opposite. The latter sat perfectly still, her knees together, her back straight, her chin raised. She reminded Dean of powerful queens on the pages of history books. But her eyes, unlike those of Cleopatra and Elizabeth I, were soft and intent. They said their goodbyes one last time before they got in their cars.

"Alrighty then, let's hit the road." Said Adelaide as she buckled her seatbelt. Behind them, Samandriel grinned eagerly.

"This is all quite exciting, isn't it?" He said. Gabriel, who had just appeared beside him, rolled his eyes. Adelaide looked over at her partner and grinned before she turned the key in the ignition.


	8. Chapter 8

Before they went their separate ways, the two sets of hunters and angels stopped at a petrol station a couple of miles away from Bobby's. The boys were filling up the Impala and the girls the Capri, but all were grouped together talking as they waited. Lee was sitting on the bonnet of the old Ford, despite the glare Adelaide had shot her, and was watching Samandriel as he admired the vehicle. He reached out his hand, running his fingertips along the side of the old red car gently. Lee smiled at the adoring look on the angel's face. Samandriel reached the front of the car and noticed her watching him. He looked momentarily embarrassed but didn't say anything.

"Do you drive one of these as well?" He asked her, looking back at the car, its bright paint shining in the midday sun. Lee had to shake her head.

"I know how, I passed my test when I was seventeen, but I don't own a car." She told him and Samandriel looked back at her with a frown.

"Why not?" He asked, seeming quite upset that she didn't have one. "They're exhilarating, if slow." Lee laughed a little at that and crossed her arms comfortably.

"I drive a motorbike." She explained. Immediately, Samandriel's eyes went wide and his back straightened. Lee's eyebrows rose at the suddenness of his movements, he looked like soldier called to attention. "What?" She asked, confusion setting in as the angel looked down at the ground.

"Nothing." He said in a tight voice. "Just… Alfie, he had pictures of women on those vehicles all around his bedroom." He explained, still not meeting her eyes. Lee tilted her head to one side and saw that Samandriel's cheeks were bright red with embarrassment. "Except they were... They, um, they weren't as- They were less, uh..." He tapered off and cleared his throat awkwardly. "Excuse me." He mumbled, his eyes still on the ground as he walked way. Lee stared after him, completely baffled by what had just happened. She knew that Samandriel could access the memories of his vessel, but what had he seen that had made him so… Oh. Ah.

"What was that?" Adelaide asked, suddenly appearing in front of her, her hands dug into her pockets. Lee jumped down from her seat on the Capri's hood with a barely concealed grin on her face. She nodded her head over to where Samandriel was standing by the Impala, still looking at the floor.

"Apparently, Alfie, angel boy's vessel, had biker chicks all over his bedroom walls except… Well, let's just say the clothes they were wearing wouldn't be very good protection in an accident." Her friend's eyes widened in realisation and she gaped at her.

"Oh, that's so weird!" She laughed, her smile wide. Then she stepped around and leaned against the bonnet next to her so that they could speak quietly. "So, do you think Samandriel'd look at you in the gear and get all tingly?" She asked, sounding like a giggly teenager. Lee snorted, although she had been secretly thinking the same thing.

"Oh, God. Can you imagine?" She whispered back, beginning to laugh too. "Angels getting-"

"Don't even go there." Adelaide said suddenly, her hand raised to stop her finishing the sacrilegious sentence. Sam was stood a little way in front of them with Gabriel, Dean and Cas, his attention on his phone, but he couldn't help overhearing their conversation.

"That happened to Cas once." He said airily without looking up from the little screen. The two women looked around, eyebrows raised, and Cas, who was stood beside Sam, looked down at his feet.

"We were watching the television, the pizza man, and I developed an erection." The angel admitted. Lee blinked in surprise.

"Wow." She muttered under her breath and Adelaide snorted.

"But it's okay, Dean fixed it for me." Cas finished, smiling gratefully at Dean whose eyes widened, his jaw dropping.

"Don't say it like that!" He cried and Cas looked confused. Lee and Adelaide threw their heads back laughing, making Samandriel look over interestedly. Soon after, he rejoined the group, his face no longer bright red. A couple of minutes later, the cars were ready to get going again. The girls, Gabriel and Samandriel would head North to find the forest where the mine was hidden. The hospital where Martin lived was close by.

"Me and Sam are hopefully only gonna be in the hospital until tomorrow." Dean explained to the group as he finished folding up an enormous map. "If you guys finish before then, head back to Bobby's. We won't be far behind." He smiled at Lee, giving her a wink. "Just remember, while you're in the forest, keep it incognito, okay?" There was a strange sound, like a person trying to cover up a snort. With raised eyebrows, Dean looked around at Adelaide to find her grinning inanely. "What?"

"Nothing." She said, still grinning madly. "Just thinking, 'incognito' would be my X-Men name." Lee sighed exasperatedly. She'd obviously had to put up with this sort of thing since she was young.

"And on that note, we'll be off." She said, giving her partner a nudge in the ribs. Adelaide returned the nudge, clucking her tongue in annoyance.

* * *

Doctor Fuller, a man whose hair, skin and eyes were all grey, grey, grey, looked concernedly through the file he had been given. He glanced up at the man on his left, then his gaze travelled slowly to his brother on the right, the subject of the file. He paused then looked back down at the patient's history.

"You were referred to me by a Doctor Babar in Chicago." Fuller said after the considerable silence had passed.

"That's right." Dean answered. He was quite proud of these particular characters. It took a surprising amount to get admitted to a mental hospital, and they'd had to think through their plan at great length. What they'd come up with was going to be a lot of fun. Fuller placed the case file down on his desk and regarded them with a curious look.

"Isn't there a children's book about an elephant named Babar?" He asked, his uniform rectangular glasses making his eyes seem even more calculating and sharp, like he could see straight through them. Anyone else might've felt intimidated by this man, but Dean had been taught to lie to people since he was old enough to talk. With a relaxed expression and bored tone, the oldest Winchester replied to the doctor.

"I don't know. I don't have any elephant books." Sam glanced at him but didn't say anything, letting Dean carry out their charade. "Look, Doctor, I think the doc was in over his head with this one." Dean said, pointing at his brother. "'Cause my brother is..." He fumbled for words and settled for making a crazy sign, circling his finger at the side of his head and whistling. Doctor Fuller raised a hand.

"Okay, fine, thank you. That's- That's really not necessary." He said, putting a stop to Dean's insensitive gesture. The doctor reached for his notepad and a pen and looked to Sam this time. "Why don't you tell me how you're feeling, Alex?" Sam barely held back his derisive sigh. Were the rest of the doctor's questions going to be this cliché?

"I'm fine." He said. "I mean, _okay_, a little depressed, I guess." The sound of Fuller scribbling away at his pad filled the brief silence before he spoke again.

"Okay. Any idea why?"

"Probably because I started the Apocalypse." Doctor Fuller stopped writing and his eyes flicked up to look at the younger Winchester.

"The Apocalypse?" He repeated. Sam nodded calmly, as if it were nothing.

"Yeah, that's right." The doctor looked at Dean, hoping to get some kind of explanation, but he only gave him a brief smile back.

"And you think you started it?" Fuller tried to clarify, looking at Sam again.

"Well, yeah, I mean... I killed this demon, Lilith, and I accidentally freed Lucifer from hell." The doctor briefly opened his mouth to speak but found no words would come out, so he turned back to his notepad again as Sam continued. "So now, he's topside, and we're trying to stop him." Fuller looked at Dean again and saw the man was looking exasperatedly to the side. The doctor frowned. He'd heard a lot of weird crap in his day, but this was a whole other kettle of fish.

"Who is?" He asked, somewhere between worried and interested.

"Me. A-and him." Said Sam, pointing at Dean. "And this one angel."

"Oh, you mean, like a... Like an angel on your shoulder." The doctor clarified helpfully, but Sam shook his head.

"No. His name's Castiel. He wears a trench coat." Unbeknownst to them, somewhere, surprisingly close by, an angel smiled to himself at his human friend's words. The doctor seemed a little put off and went back to his notes.

"See what I mean, Doc?" Dean said sadly. "The kid's been beating himself up about this for months. The Apocalypse wasn't his fault." Doctor Fuller looked up at Dean again, stunned.

"It's not?" He questioned rivetedly.

"No." Said Dean, and he could barely hold back his grin as he continued to speak. "There was this other demon, Ruby. She got him addicted to demon blood and near the end, he was practically chugging this stuff." Doctor Fuller's face seemed to pale and his chin rose in realisation. He glanced at the man to his right, no longer the only person he had to worry about, who was looking ashamedly down at his lap. "My brother's not evil. He was just... High." Dean surmised and Sam nodded seriously. "Yeah? So, could you fix him up so we can get back to traveling around the country and hunting monsters?" The doctor took a moment to let his mind relax before he nodded at the two men. He raised a finger, asking them to wait, then he picked up his phone, dialling an extension.

"Irma," He said, smiling at the Winchesters pleasantly. "Cancel my lunch."

* * *

The forest was dark, the trees close. If you looked up, you could almost make out the blue sky beginning to darken through the thick pines. Dead leaves and dry twigs crunched beneath their feet. The two hunters and two angels were walking in a line like ants through the dense forest. Adelaide led the way, the only one who knew where the old mine was. She was closely followed by Lee, then Samandriel, who was never far from the former, and Gabriel brought up the rear, his head lolling back on his shoulders in boredom. The beauty of the forest was lost on him. After being on Earth for thousands of years, the simpler things lost their magic a little.

The two hunters were walking almost silently across the undergrowth and Samandriel was doing his best to copy them, but Gabriel was bored and tired and cross. Why wouldn't the hunters just let him fly them there? They'd be at the mine within seconds, milliseconds even. But Adelaide had shot down that idea immediately, despite the excited look in her partner's eyes. Apparently, she didn't trust angel transportation, and anyway, there weren't that far from the mine. That had been half an hour ago, and despite being an archangel, Gabriel's feet were beginning to hurt.

"Are we there yet?" He groaned, not caring in the slightest that he sounded like a petulant child. From the front of the line, Adelaide growled.

"Don't make me come back there." Behind her, Lee sighed.

"Seriously, though, are we there yet?" She asked, a little quieter. Adelaide stopped walking to glare at her friend but couldn't stay angry at her for long. She was tired too and the walk had taken much longer than she had promised.

"It should be just over this hill." She told them as they began walking again. They pushed their way through a thicket of sharply barbed trees, beginning to brown, when Lee swore. One of the thorns had cut across her palm. She hissed in pain, shaking her hand to little effect.

"I hate bloody forests." She grumbled, giving the tree an icy glare for good measure. Adelaide laughed, slightly out of breath.

"Oh, c'mon, we used to go up Leith Hill all the time when we were kids." She called back as the trail they followed grew steeper. Lee snorted behind her.

"Yeah, and I always hated it." Adelaide made a disgruntled noise, not liking the way she brushed aside one of her most beloved memories.

"No, c'mon. We'd start at the bottom by that little pond and climb up the face and one of us would always fall over." She remembered mud-caked hands and messy hair, riddled with twigs and leaves, and rosy faces with wide smiles and bright eyes. "Then we'd get up to the top then down through the dirt tunnel bit where I almost broke my ankle." A common occurrence. In fact, she'd lost a shoe once. "Then up and up again to the tower bit and we'd buy a drink and just sit…" She trailed off as the memory settled in. She thought of the warm sunlight on her skin and the smell of an autumn afternoon turning to evening and the feeling of grass beneath her hands, tired legs resting after a long climb. "I miss that stupid hill." She said quietly, almost to herself. Those were the times where she'd had no worries, before hunting and travelling far away and Armageddon. Gabriel smiled softly, not quite knowing why Adelaide's little story had made him so happy.

"It sounds nice." He said, making her look around at him. "Maybe I'll fly you up there one day soon." Adelaide's dark blue eyes seemed to shine in the sun dappled clearing of the old forest and Gabriel knew that the smile she gave him was completely and utterly genuine, and more importantly, just for him. They reached the top of the small hill and came to a clearing in the otherwise compact wood. Adelaide whipped out her phone to check how they were doing for time and noticed she had a message.

"I got a text from Dean." She told the group, who were all taking a much needed breather. "Apparently the plan worked. Much to my surprise." She added dryly. "They're being kept under observation." She said, reading aloud what Dean had hurriedly messaged her. She slipped the phone back in her pocket and looked around her companions, her hands on her hips.

"So what are we gonna do?" Samandriel asked, only just managing to hide his excitement. He had never done anything like this before. Even when he had worked for Heaven, he was never a soldier, only a messenger and sometimes he had been allowed to assist a few of the more senior angels. This life as a hunter was a whole new world for him. Adelaide gave him a wide grin and raised her gun, the shining silver metal glinting in the bright sunlight.

"We're gonna hunt a ghost."

* * *

Dean followed a line of other patients down the hall, his hands in his pockets, staring miserably at the floor. The doctor's words still rang in his ears. He thought about returning to the rec room, maybe finding Martin again, but a voice behind him made him stop.

"Dean, hey." Sam had walked out of a doorway behind him and caught up with him quickly. Dean turned and his brother noticed his despondent expression. "You okay?"

"I just got thraped." Dean said bitterly and Sam looked immediately concerned. "So, no, I am not okay. Tell me you found something." Sam nodded, glad to have some good news.

"Yeah. A guy says he saw the creature. We should talk to him. You wanna meet here in an hour?" He said in a low voice, not wanting to be overheard. It was bad enough that the people running this hellhole thought they were nuts, they didn't want to be locked away before they could kill the damn monster that was haunting the patients.

"Yeah, sooner we take care of this thing, sooner we can get gone." Dean agreed, looking warily around them. "This place gives me the creeps." He turned around, aiming to walk back towards the rec room, but a woman was suddenly standing right in front of him. Before he could say a word, the beautiful young woman put her hand on his cheek and kissed him. Dean wasn't one to pass off an opportunity like this, no matter where he was. If a hot lady kisses you, you don't question it. Sam could only stand back and watch awkwardly. Eventually, the woman released her hold on his brother and she smiled up at him.

"Hi."

"Hi." Replied Dean, a silly grin on his face.

"I'm Wendy."

"Uh-huh." The woman smiled once more then walked past Dean and Sam and down the hallway, but not before giving Dean's butt a slap. Dean turned back to Sam and smirked. "Maybe this place isn't so bad after all." He said happily. Sam's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Dude... You _cannot_ hit that." Dean sighed as he watched Wendy walk down the corridor, his expression sombre.

"Oh, so torn." He groaned. Sam rolled his eyes.

* * *

The four figures stood at the entrance to the mine, staring in. Adelaide looked thoughtful, wondering whether they should enter yet or not. They had found where the ghost prowled easily enough, but he knew the mines well, he had the advantage in the seemingly endless caverns. Lee, on the other hand, looked decidedly nervous. She wasn't an easily frightened person, you honestly couldn't be in her line of work, but there was something about the impenetrable darkness of the old mine that was putting her nerves on edge.

"Okay. You were right. It's creepy as fuck." She said, nodding her head slightly. Adelaide pulled out her touch and shone it into the stony mouth of the mine.

"I know right." She murmured. "The town's website said this ghost's been hangin' around since the early 1900s." The light she was shining into the darkness barely illuminated the cavern, the darkness was so dense. They would have to venture in further to see anything properly. "The mine collapsed and only one guy didn't escape." She thought for a moment, trying to recall the miner's name. "Horace Flenderson, forty-six years old when he died. The locals say people have been disappearing in the forest, and every time, they've heard laughter and seen a man running away towards these mines." Lee grimaced.

"Awesome." She commented drily. Then she turned her head to her partner. "Shall we venture in?" Adelaide grinned back at her.

"We shall." The four figures gathered their courage and began to make their way into the mouth of the mine, ignoring the numerous yellow and red 'danger, no entry' signs. As the last one to enter the deep tunnel, Samandriel looked back and saw the light disappearing behind them, shrinking to a small dot in the distance, like the old television sets when they were switched off. He turned back to Lee who was in front of him and grinned.

"Are you excited? I'm excited." He whispered eagerly. Lee let out a quiet laugh and looked back at him over her shoulder.

"You're adorable." She told him, smiling softly. Samandriel frowned, although she could barely see his face in the pitch black cave.

"I'm not adorable." He grumbled, in the tone of someone who was beginning to grow tired of such accusations. He was an almighty being, he was a soldier, he was not adorable. Lee laughed again.

"Yes, you are." She insisted and Samandriel sighed.

"I'm a warrior of Heaven." He pressed grouchily.

"An adorable warrior."

"I serve the Lord-"

"Adorably."

"And I fight well for what is good."

"Adorable!"

* * *

Sam crept out of his cell, his lock-pick in hand, to find Dean standing right outside. Everything was, so far, going according to plan.

"Well, it's about time." Dean muttered and Sam barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Nurses are on their rounds. We got, like, fifteen/twenty minutes. Where is this guy?"

"Room 306." Sam said and they immediately began to hurry in the right direction. 306 was close to Sam's 344 so it wasn't a long walk. They were headed towards Ted's room, they'd predicted that he would be the next patient to be attacked. A few feet from 306, they heard a terrified scream and knew they'd guessed correctly. The brothers reached the door and Sam began to pick the lock, his hands shaking with adrenalin and fear. Dean jumped back as Ted's feet kicked the window, his clothes and skin bloody.

"Hurry up! Come on, hurry up!" Sam looked up at his brother furiously.

"Back off, Dean!" He roared before continuing to pick the lock. The door finally clicked open and Sam and Dean lunged into the room, only to find they were too late to save poor Ted. The unfortunate men was hanging from a pipe in the ceiling, a bed sheet tied around his neck.

* * *

"Two passageways." Murmured Lee, sweeping the torch from left to right. Adelaide shook her head when she failed to see to the end of one of the tunnels. The blackness was too thick, no light entered the passageways. They could just about hear the faint chittering of bats, thousands of the little creatures hung from the ceiling high above them.

"This is way too Scooby Doo for me." Adelaide muttered, making Gabriel smile slightly. Lee sighed, hating what they were about to have to do, but knowing it wouldn't get done without her pragmatism. She turned away from the tunnels and pointed at her partner.

"Adelaide, you and Gabriel take the left, me and Samandriel will head right." Immediately, the hunter and the archangel frowned.

"Why've I got to have Gabriel?" Adelaide groaned, at exactly the same time as Gabriel asked,

"Why do I have to go with Adelaide?" The pair glared at each other and Lee watched them both in despair.

"God almighty." She sighed. Beside her, Samandriel winced at the blasphemy and she put an apologetic hand at the top of his arm. "Sorry." When she turned back to her partner and the archangel, they seemed to have settled their differences, if only momentarily. In fact, Gabriel was grinning down at her and Adelaide had her arms crossed, trying desperately to suppress a smile. Lee sighed again. "Guns?" She asked, starting their traditional equipment roll call. Adelaide paused whatever she had going on with Gabriel and raised her gun.

"Check."

"Torch?"

"Check."

"Angel?" Adelaide reached out and punched Gabriel's upper arm lightly.

"Ow!"

"Check."

"Awesome." Lee smiled and nodded towards the tunnels. "Let's rock 'n' roll." She announced, and Adelaide rolled her eyes. They split into the pairs Lee had divided them into and the hunters switched on their torches. As they slowly made their descent into the dark passages, Lee thought she heard Gabriel murmuring to Adelaide before they moved out of earshot.

"You guys are so cute." She heard Adelaide sigh and then, "Ow!"

As she was the one with the torch, Lee took the lead, although Samandriel stuck close behind her. She looked back at him over her shoulder and wondered momentarily if angels could see in the dark. Either way, Samandriel, looking very smart in his new clothes, was glancing all around the cave. Lee thought he must've been staying alert in case the ghost of Horace Flenderson made an appearance, but in actual fact, Samandriel was making sure that his partner didn't hurt herself on any of the low hanging rocks or tripped over the craggy cave floor.

"We've gotta keep our eyes peeled, 'kay?" She murmured quietly back to the angel. She felt extremely responsible for Samandriel, even though she knew he could easily protect himself.

"Okay." Samandriel whispered back. The dark seemed to press against them, the small spotlight produced by their torch barely lit the way. Lee could just about see the grey and sandy stone of the stalactites above them. She didn't want to risk shining their dim torch at the ceiling in case it startled the bats. "Can I hold the flashlight?" Samandriel suddenly whispered, close to her ear. Lee nearly jumped right out of her skin, pressing a hand over her thudding heart. She turned her head and saw Samandriel smiling brightly in the dark cavern.

"If you like." She breathed, hoping her heartbeat would return to normal soon. Samandriel grinned and thanked her, carefully taking the torch. Lee pulled out her phone to see if Adelaide had messaged her at all, but found she had no service. "No signal, I thought as much." She murmured. She glanced up at Samandriel, who had stopped walking and was turning his head in confusion. "But you've got a connection to Gabriel, don't you? Unless that doesn't work underground either." She laughed obnoxiously at her own joke, not noticing the angel's unease.

"Amelia Lee?" He asked quietly. "What's that sound?" Lee's laughter subsided and she stood next to him. She listened intently, not ready to assume they were in any danger just yet. She couldn't hear anything, so she closed her eyes, focusing hard. There, ever so slightly, she could hear the faint trickling of water in the distance, perhaps further into the mine.

"Running water. It's common in places like this, don't worry about it." She said, dismissing Samandriel's worries.

"No, not that." Said Samandriel softly, his bright blue eyes glinting in the torchlight. "_That_." The pair looked back down the passageway, both feeling the chill of fear settling in their bones.

* * *

"So, hot stuff, you afraid of the dark?" Gabriel asked, evidently not seeing the need to keep quiet despite being on the hunt for a very hostile ghost. Perhaps it was because he was an archangel and therefore pretty hard to kill. Adelaide, on the other hand, was human and despite her vast amount of skill, was ridiculously easy to kill. She gave him a sharp look and hoped he'd get the message.

"No. And don't call me 'hot stuff'." She muttered, keeping her voice considerably lower than Gabriel's. The angel didn't seem to take the hint, or at least, he ignored Adelaide's vehement tone. The hunter suddenly hissed as she accidentally kicked a rock arcing up from the cave floor.

"Christ on a bike!" She grunted, biting her bottom lip in agony whilst still trying to keep quiet.

"That's a new one." Gabriel commented, not at all helping. "Afraid of rats?" The hunter sighed exasperatedly, her tone heavy with annoyance as pain shot up and down her leg.

"No."

"Snakes?"

"No. Oh! Jesus on a boat!" Adelaide swore again as she knocked another rock with her already injured foot.

"Where're you getting these from?" Gabriel asked in wonder. Then he added, "Heights?" Adelaide stopped her descent into the tunnel, her face marred with pain, and wheeled around, her features eerily illuminated by the white torchlight.

"What are you doing, Gabriel?" She asked tiredly, her eyes searching his for an answer to her question. Gabriel only shrugged back at her.

"Just trying to get to know you better, sugar. C'mon, everyone's afraid of something." Adelaide raised her chin indignantly.

"Then what are you afraid of?" She asked him. Instead of answering, Gabriel turned his head slightly to the side, his brow furrowed. Adelaide waited a second more before she shook her head. "Thought as much." The hunter turned around again and continued her careful exploration of the mineshaft. "You know, you're a nice guy, but you can be a right dick." Gabriel remained stock still, his head still turned away from her. Because what Adelaide had misconstrued as apathy, was actually sudden, unprecedented fear. Adelaide had forgotten about Gabriel's celestial calibre hearing. He wasn't ignoring her, he had heard something, something they should all be very, very worried about. In the distance, echoing through the dark cavern, but much too quiet for human hearing, he could hear clinking metal. Then, footsteps.

"Lady." Gabriel tried to warn her, his ears still straining to work out the source of the noise over the hunter's incessant talking.

"But do you listen? No, you do not."

"Lady."

"I mean, I get it, you're an archangel, I'm human, why should you listen to me?" The footsteps drew steadily louder, then the sound of metal scraping against rock. Whatever it was, it was getting closer.

"Lady." Gabriel tried again, a little louder this time. He was frightened, for the first time in a long while, Gabriel was actually afraid. The footsteps grew louder, heavier, the scrape of metal on rock, sparks igniting, grew ever closer.

"I mean, just for once, I'd like you to call me by my actual name, is that so hard?"

"Adelaide!" Gabriel suddenly shouted, his voice echoing endlessly through the dark mine. Adelaide stopped her rant and turned to him.

"Well, there's no point in it now." She said, shaking her head incredulously. Gabriel finally found he could move and stood close to her, grabbing her arm.

"No, Lady, can you hear that?" He asked in a hushed tone, his eyes sweeping across the tunnel. There was only silence now, the scraping, clinking had stopped, the footsteps ceasing also. Perhaps whatever it was had heard his shout and knew they were close. Adelaide tutted as Gabriel's grip on her upper arm tightened.

"What?" She hissed, far too cross to realise how afraid the archangel looked.

"Listen." He whispered, and looked back the way they had come. Adelaide tutted angrily but followed his gaze. She strained to hear anything, any sound at all. But all she could hear were hers and Gabriel's heavy breaths, and the sound of her own heartbeat thudding in her ears. Nothing, and then... There. Adelaide instantly drew her gun, she too recognised the sound of heavy-booted footsteps. Then, echoing back at them through the pitch black tunnel, a low, petrifying laugh that Adelaide thought must have gone straight through her. The pair took a step back, Gabriel still clutching Adelaide's arm.

"The locals said they heard laughter." She whispered to the archangel, who was beginning to wish he'd never volunteered to help Adelaide Kingsley and Amelia Lee Costello on their hunt. Then there was a whistling sound, like a breeze swishing through the trees.

"Adelaide!" The hunter jolted at the sudden cry and felt her heart jump into her mouth as she was suddenly pushed against the cave wall. She scraped her hands and arms against razor sharp rock and only just avoided hitting her head as well. A thud echoed throughout the cavern and Adelaide whipped around, shining her torch up at the cave wall behind her. There, embedded in the old rock, was a rusted pick axe. Adelaide felt her legs nearly give out from under her. The sheer force behind the throw must've been incredible. Adelaide shone her torch to the left, illuminating Gabriel who was pressed against the opposite wall, also staring at the tool that had nearly killed her. Then he whipped his head around and jumped away from the wall, pointing back the way they'd come. "There!" Adelaide whirled around and shone her torch at the mouth of the cavern. There stood a man, round and stout with a mouthful of blackened teeth and another pick axe in his left hand. His right arm was crushed and crippled, much like the rest of his body, which seemed to in and out like an old piece of corrugated iron. The ghost of Horace Flenderson gave another throaty laugh and raised the pick axe.

"Shit!" Adelaide cried. She jumped forward and grabbed Gabriel's hand, pulling him after her through the endless myriad of tunnels and shafts. The torchlight bounced and bobbed incessantly, making it almost impossible to see as they ran, breathless and afraid through the mine. Once Adelaide thought they'd put enough distance between them and the ghost, she stopped, let go of the archangel's hand and gathered her wits long enough to click off the safety on her gun. They stood back to back, the archangel and the hunter, eyes straining to see in the seemingly suffocating darkness. Then they could hear the scraping sound again, Horace Flenderson pulling the point of his rusty pick axe against the cave wall.

"Adelaide!" Gabriel cried and the hunter spun around immediately, firing three rounds at the ancient, deadly miner. Flenderson disappeared in a whirl of smoke, his laugh still echoing throughout the mine. Then, only just picking out his shape in the darkness, Adelaide saw Horace running down another dilapidated tunnel.

"There!" Adelaide shouted before she was tearing off after the ghost, Gabriel hot on her heels. She ducked under stalactites and jumped across deep, dark holes in the floor, the dancing torchlight her only way of surviving this labyrinth of stone. Eventually, Flenderson's nightmarish laughter led her and Gabriel out into the mouth of the mine, where the group had split to follow different paths. Just as Adelaide pelted out of her tunnel, she spotted her partner and Samandriel come running out of theirs. They had obviously heard Horace's laughter and her gunshots and come speeding back to help. "Lee!" Adelaide cried, earning her partner's attention instantly. They both skidded to a halt and raised their guns, eyes searching the rocky cavern for Flenderson's ghost. Then, Adelaide spotted him, right by the entrance of the mine. She raised her gun and lined up the shot. Dread settled in Lee's stomach as she realised what was about to happen. The way that Horace was standing, the path the bullet would follow, coupled with the enormous sound waves bouncing off the old, crumbling stone... The walls would cave in, and they would be trapped, just as Horace Flenderson was a hundred years ago

"Wait, Adelaide, no!" Lee cried out in vain, trying to stop her friend from pulling the trigger. Too late. The shot cracked through the air, the bullet passing through Horace with ease and smacking into the cave wall. The world began to rumble and shake. The foundations beneath their feet trembled, the rock ceiling cracked, and then the mouth of the mine clamped shut, cutting off the light of the world outside. Gabriel immediately grabbed Adelaide away from the entrance to the cave and Lee took Samandriel's hand, pulling him back sharply. After the deafening roar of stone hitting stone settled, the four dust-coated figures raised their heads, blinking blindly in the thick darkness. "Are we..?" Lee's unfinished question hung in the air with the dust. Adelaide slowly stood up and made her way to the tightly shut jaws of the cave entrance. She placed a hand on the cool stone and felt dread and guilt and fear descend upon her.

"We're trapped."


	9. Chapter 9

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Adelaide roared, slamming her fists against the old rocks that blocked their way with every expletive. She saw Samandriel flinch at her cries and turned on him. "Stop bloody wincing!" She didn't want to shout at him, but panic was rising in her chest. It was so dark down there, the air so thick and dusty. She didn't want to take out her anger on anyone, especially the kind angel, but she just couldn't help herself. Lee was immediately there to defend her new friend.

"Oi, don't shout at him, it was you who caused the bloody cave in!" She yelled back, her face half in shadow. Adelaide raised her hands exasperatedly.

"I was shooting at the fucking ghost!" She bellowed, their shouts beginning to echo through the empty cavern. Gabriel stepped forward and tentatively rested his hand on her shoulder. He could see that she wasn't just angry. Her eyes were beginning to shine in the dull torchlight and the half-light seeping through cracks in the rock.

"Adelaide, it's alright." He said, speaking with uncharacteristic softness. She brushed off his hand and turned on him.

"No, it's not!" She cried and her voice cracked pathetically. "I've trapped us all in this godforsaken place with the fucking Prospector after us... And a pickaxe nearly just went through my head." Her words trailed off towards the end of her sentence as all the fight left her. Adelaide sank down onto one of the bigger rocks jutting out of the pile blocking their only escape. She rested her elbows on her knees and put her head in her hands, sighing wearily. Gabriel watched her, beginning to worry about his friend, but then an idea struck him and he began to laugh.

"You're welcome, by the way." He said, returning to his usual snarky state. Adelaide's head momentarily lifted from her hands so that she could shoot him a dark look before she rubbed a hand over her tired face. Lee stepped towards her friend and looked down at her with understanding.

"Adelaide, calm down, it's okay." She murmured. Adelaide met her gaze and immediately began to relax, her quickened breathing returning to normal.

"You're right." She muttered. Adelaide took a deep, calming breath and shook her head. "You're right, sorry." Then she looked to Samandriel, who stood back a little, watching her nervously. "Sorry, sweetheart." She told him with a hint of a smile. Samandriel gave her a timid smile in return and nodded.

"It's alright." He replied, but she could tell he was still a little wary of her. She didn't blame him. Taking her anger out on anyone was bad, but on Samandriel, it was like kicking puppies. Gabriel was still watching her with concern clear on his face.

"What's eatin' you?" He asked her and Adelaide scowled up at him.

"If you hadn't noticed, we are trapped, underground, in the dark, with no likely escape." She listed off agitatedly. Gabriel blew out a long breath and pulled a face at Lee.

"Boy, I can't believe I have a crush on such a downer." He teased, but this only made Adelaide angrier.

"Could you stop being a randy bastard for five seconds?" She cried and again, her words echoed down the mineshaft. Lee immediately shushed her with wide eyes, reminding her that they were not alone in the abandoned mine. Then she returned her attention to Gabriel.

"Adelaide doesn't like small spaces." She explained simply and the hunter nodded her agreement.

"No, I do not and quite right too." She stated, making Gabriel smile. She looked up at Samandriel again. "Are you comfortable right now?" She asked and Samandriel looked surprised.

"Uh..." He managed, a little taken-aback by her sudden, unexpected question. Adelaide didn't wait for an answer and turned her head back to her friend.

"Exactly." She said and Lee had to smile. Gabriel winked down at her and gave her a scandalous grin.

"Babe, chill." He told her kindly and Adelaide rolled her eyes.

"Don't call me…" Before she could even finish her sentence, Gabriel reached down and grabbed her hand. Suddenly, everything was made up of a burning bright light. Adelaide clamped her eyes shut and hissed in pain. When she opened them again, she was sitting on the ground outside the mine's entrance where they had stood only a few hours ago. "That." She finished, her sentence ending in a fascinated whisper. She'd had her doubts about travelling via angel but now, she had to admit, it did have its merits, even if she did feel a little queasy. A second later, Samandriel and Lee appeared a few feet from them. Her partner swore too at the sudden blockade of light entering her eyes. Adelaide suddenly felt very embarrassed. "Oh. Yeah." She looked up at Gabriel who stood beside her. "You're angels." She shook her head slightly. "That's a bit embarrassing." She muttered, her cheeks growing red. Then, a little louder this time, she said, "Sorry for freaking out on you." Gabriel shrugged.

"No problem. We understand, don't we, Samandriel?" He said, holding his hands out to her. Adelaide immediately took them and let herself be pulled to her feet.

"It was quite funny actually." Said the younger angel. Adelaide gave him a look and Lee nudged him subtly so he knew he'd gone too far. "Sorry." He added but Adelaide waved him off, knowing she probably deserved it. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, now that they were back outside and she was able to get a few bars of signal.

"Another text from Dean." Adelaide announced, reading the text quickly. She frowned when she finished the message and went over it again to make sure she'd read Dean's words properly. "He says Sam's super high off the drugs the hospital gave him." She summarised and Lee raised an eyebrow.

"Should we ask?" She inquired sceptically. Adelaide shook her head.

"I don't think that'd be a good idea." She decided, slipping the phone back into her pocket and out of mind.

"So, what's the new plan, gorgeous?" Gabriel asked and again, Adelaide rolled her eyes.

"Don't call me that." She told him, for what seemed like the millionth time. Gabriel's inexhaustible list of nicknames was beginning to lose its affect, but she still wouldn't let him get away with it. Adelaide glanced up at the sky and saw through the trees that it was early morning. The sky was a pale, creamy colour with pink clouds floating lazily by. Looking back at the now sealed entrance to the dilapidated mine, Adelaide pursed her lips in thought. "We need to get back in there." She said finally and Lee nodded.

"Flenderson's body will still be in the mine, that's why he's hung around here for so long." She explained to the angels. "We've got to pour salt over the body, or what's left of it anyway."

"Then burn it." Added her partner and Gabriel noted there wasn't a hint of disgust in her expression. By now, she was fully accustomed to what others might find repulsive.

"Well, that sounds pleasurable." Gabriel said drily and Adelaide smiled back at him.

"It's just as fun as it sounds." She assured him. They took a moment to gather themselves before they ventured back into the cold, labyrinthine mine. Adelaide was double checking the contents of her backpack whilst Gabriel watched, again, not helping. A bird took flight in one of the towering pines behind them and she looked up, startled. Once she knew she wasn't in any danger, she looked back down to her backpack but said nothing. Gabriel's expression was grim. He had never seen the hunter this afraid, in fact, he had thought it impossible to frighten Adelaide. But her time in the mine had left her on edge. It had taken a greater toll on her than she was letting on.

"Are you okay, going back in?" Gabriel implored, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. Adelaide was a little surprised at the concern behind his question and the tenderness of his touch.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. Just got a bit panicky for a second but I'm fine." She assured him, determined not to let her fears show again. Fear was what held regular people back. For a hunter, being afraid was not an option.

"Why didn't you say you had a small spaces thing?" Gabriel asked, and Adelaide was pleased to find it was concern driving his questions, he wasn't trying to make fun of her. She shrugged and slung her bag onto her shoulder roughly.

"I didn't want you to think I was a wuss or anything." She said plainly. Then she gave him a wry smile "Although, the truth's out now, really, 'ent it?"

"You're not a wuss." Gabriel reassured her and Adelaide chuckled a little. "Everyone's got a thing." Adelaide raised her eyebrows at the archangel. This was new territory for them. She considered him a friend now, yes, but what Gabriel was giving her was more than that. He had been worried about her, and now he was reassuring her that her fears were justified, which was wonderful to hear when she was doubting herself.

"What's your thing?" She asked softly, a smile beginning to grow on her lips. Gabriel wriggled his eyebrows, firmly putting an end to his short-lived spurt of maturity.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He said. And they were back to square one. Adelaide huffed and rolled her eyes. Gabriel grinned back, glad that she was almost back to normal, and looked over his shoulder at Samandriel and Lee.

"Ready?" He called and the hunter and the angel nodded.

"Ready." They both said. Before he took Adelaide's arm, a thought struck the archangel and he let out a loud laugh.

"I can't believe you called me a randy bastard." Gabriel chuckled and Lee scoffed.

"I can't believe you swore at Samandriel." She added and Adelaide looked embarrassed. Samandriel nodded sadly, his lips pressed together thoughtfully.

"That was not so funny." He decided. "Despite your stature, you're quite frightening, Adelaide." The hunter in question seemed to perk up at that and she raised her chin proudly.

"Good." She said, feeling quite pleased with herself.

* * *

The Winchesters snuck carefully into Doctor Fuller's office but found it empty. Whilst Sam made sure they were alone, Dean walked to the doctor's desk and picked up a set of car keys.

"He's still in the building." He told his brother, dropping the keys back down on the meticulously ordered desk. "You take the West wing. I'll take the East." He said and they quickly left the office.

Sam crept down a dark hallway, all his muscles tensed. The bright moonlight shining through the blinds cast barred shadows across his face. He held his letter opener as if it were a real knife, gripping the metal tightly in his fist, ready for anything. He looked briefly in each room that he passed, determined to find the Wraith before it was too late for another patient. He began to turn down another hallway, but suddenly, he saw Doctor Fuller heading his way. Sam quickly flattened himself against the wall, waiting for the doctor to come within striking distance. As Fuller rounded the corner, Sam stepped forward, raising the blade. The doctor put his arm up to defend himself and Sam brought the blade down, cutting Fuller's arm. Fuller cried out as Sam took another swing.

Two orderlies came running around the corner and grabbed the younger Winchester, trying to drag him off the doctor. Sam dropped the blade and struggled determinedly, managing to throw one man off and punch the other. The first orderly came back again but Sam grabbed him by the shoulders and knocked his head into a window, shattering the glass. Sam went back to the other orderly and punched him hard twice. Fuller tried to run and Sam grabbed the blade from the ground, following close behind him. He tackled the doctor to the ground and raised the blade, going for the kill, when all of a sudden, Martin grabbed his arm.

"No! No! Look at his arm!" The older hunter cried. "The cut's not burning!" Sam stopped breathlessly and looked down at the Fuller's arm. Martin was right. "It's not him. It's not him." He said and Sam dropped the blade, staring at Doctor Fuller, stunned at what he'd almost done.

* * *

A bright flash of light and then total darkness. Adelaide hissed as the extreme change affected her eyesight. When she opened her eyes again, it was impossible to see without the torches. One flicked on and then the other, two spotlights alighting on the cold stone walls. The hunters swept their torches from left to right, trying to discern any possible trails or recognisable markings. No, they hadn't been here before.

"Where are we?" Adelaide murmured, more to herself than as an actual question, but Gabriel took it as a chance to be sarcastic.

"Gee, I'll just pull out my handy map of the mine and figure that out." He made a show of patting down his jacket and trousers whilst Adelaide watched him with a dangerous glare. He looked up again and shrugged. "Oh, man, I must've left it with my hard hat and overalls."

"Could you stop being snarky and start being helpful?" Adelaide retorted, but Gabriel only smiled.

"Do you think I got to where I am today by being helpful?" He ask her and the hunter raised her eyebrows.

"And where you are today? Hm?" She asked shining her torch around them for emphasis. "Oh, you mean stuck in an abandoned mine with a ghost on your arse?" There was a beat and for a moment, Adelaide thought the archangel would continue to argue with her, but Gabriel seemed to realise the gravity of her words.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked quickly and Adelaide grinned, barely stopping herself from laughing. That was her main problem with Gabriel. They were friends now, but what stopped them from growing closer was her need to focus on the job. Adelaide was just as easy-going as Gabriel, but there were times when she really needed to be careful. A lot of lives were at risk if she didn't do her job properly and she couldn't joke about at a time like this. But Gabriel also managed to calm her down when she knew she was being too serious. They just needed to strike a balance.

"We need to find Horace's body, but it could be anywhere." Lee pondered aloud, sweeping her torch towards the far end of the tunnel they stood in. The light was eaten up by the darkness, she couldn't see to the end.

"I can find it." Samandriel said suddenly and Lee looked to him with surprise.

"You can? How?" Samandriel smiled eagerly, proud of himself for coming up with the idea.

"I can fly anywhere in this mine within moments, less than that." He explained and Adelaide clicked her tongue.

"Show off." She murmured to Gabriel under her breath, who snorted. Samandriel, with his excellent hearing, gave her a look and Adelaide looked down at the floor.

"I can sweep the mine then take you to him." He added, his eyes earnest and impatient in the bright torchlight. But Lee shook her head.

"These mines are huge, they go on for miles and miles, deep underground." Samandriel was unrelenting, sure that his plan would work.

"It should only take a few minutes." He told them and with a shared glance, the two hunters agreed it was a good idea. Adelaide turned to Gabriel, who was casually leaning up against the cave wall.

"You know, if you helped, we'd find him even quicker." She suggested and Gabriel gave a lazy grunt.

"Samandriel's got it, don't you, kid? After all, he's got a girl to impress." He said, winking at the younger angel. Samandriel looked momentarily embarrassed, his gaze dropping to the cave floor.

"I do not have a girl to impress." He replied meagrely and Lee felt it was her time to intervene.

"I'm already pretty impressed by him, to be honest." She said coolly and all eyes turned to her, including Samandriel's. She gave him a wink and she could've sworn she saw his cheeks go red, but she couldn't be sure in the dark mine. Before she could investigate further, the angel disappeared in the blink of an eye.

After a minute or two, Samandriel still wasn't back, and the two hunters and the archangel had settled themselves on the floor of the dank, dark mine. Adelaide was watching Gabriel try and improve the strength of her torch by clicking his fingers, making the light flash on and off, but every time brighter.

"So, is Jesus, like, your half-brother or something?" She contemplated suddenly and Gabriel looked up at her with narrowed eyes. Before he could answer, they heard wings flapping and abruptly, Samandriel was standing right next to them.

"I've got it!" He cried, his shout resounding through the mine. Adelaide jumped and clutched her chest where her heart was racing a mile a minute.

"Bloody hell!" She breathed, trying not to have a heart attack. When she looked up at the younger angel, she saw that he was grinning inanely, not noticing how much he'd frightened them.

"I've found him!"

* * *

The Wraith turned Sam's head to the side, sticking her skewer closer to his neck, when suddenly the door flew open and Dean stumbled through.

"You get away from him." He managed to warn the monster, despite the dizzying effects of her powers. It was hard to see straight, hard to tell what was real and what wasn't. The Wraith stood to face Dean with an easy smile on her lips.

"Do you really think this is gonna end well for ya, kiddo?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip. Dean shook his head, giving her a wobbly smile.

"No." He struggled to speak, but pulled out his own silver blade. "But I'm crazy." He gave her a wide smile to prove it. "So, what the hell?" The Wraith chuckled and raised her hand, her poisonous skewer sliding back into her wrist. Dean swung the blade at her, but she ducked and threw him against the wall. Dean tried to go after her again, but she grabbed his arm and held him against the padded wall. He dropped his blade, cursing in his head. Sam could only watch helplessly from where he was strapped to the bed. The Wraith threw Dean against another wall, pinning him by the throat. Dean grabbed her hand, trying desperately to pull her off him, but she was too strong. The Wraith raised her other hand, the skewer sliding out and aimed at Dean's forehead. He grabbed her arms, trying to keep the skewer away from his head, but the poisonous shard slid further out of her wrist, getting ever closer to Dean's head.

The oldest Winchester grunted as he tried to push the spike away. Finally, he grabbed the skewer with his other hand and broke it off. The Wraith screamed in pain and backed into the other wall, holding her wrist as it spurted blood. Dean held the skewer in his hand for a moment before pulling a face and dropping it in revulsion. Seeing his chance, he ran to the blade and grabbed it. The Wraith turned to him, screaming in rage. Dean stepped forward and stabbed the monster right in the heart, the silver burning her as she hit the wall and slid to the floor.

* * *

The two hunters and two angels stood over the crumpled body of Horace Flenderson. The man had been reduced to a skeleton, but some of him, that which hadn't been eaten away by bugs and bats, still stuck to the old bones. He had two pickaxes in his belt and a yellow hard hat sat a few feet away from him. Adelaide looked around and saw a few boulders had been moved aside by Samandriel so that he could be found, disturbing what had both killed him and acted as his tomb. The four figures stood over the body in silence before Adelaide spoke.

"I think that's the most excited I've ever seen someone about finding a dead body." She mused. Gabriel frowned and turned his head to her.

"You think?" He repeated and Adelaide shrugged.

"Well…" She replied cryptically. Beside them, Lee patted Samandriel's shoulder and gave him a grateful smile.

"Great job, Samandriel. You did good." She praised him, making the angel beam with pride.

"Did I do a good job?" Gabriel asked and Adelaide scoffed.

"You didn't do anything." Gabriel looked downright offended.

"I saved your life! Without me you would be nailed to a cave wall by a pickaxe." He protested, his eyebrows raised infuriatingly. Adelaide huffed, her eyes narrowed.

"I could've easily saved myself." She bit back and Lee sighed.

"Alright, guys, you can have your marital spat somewhere else, preferably where there isn't a ghost, a mine and a skeleton." She scolded them. Adelaide sighed, determined to win their argument but put it to the back of her mind for a later date.

"You got the salt?" She checked and Lee pulled a large cylinder out of her bag.

"Yep." She shook the salt container absentmindedly whilst looking down at the skeleton. "I hate this part." She muttered bitterly. Gabriel frowned.

"Why?" He asked and Lee shrugged.

"It's just gross, really, innit?" Adelaide sighed.

"Don't be a baby, set the corpse on fire." Suddenly, Gabriel grabbed her hand, making her jump and she turned to see him looking back down the mineshaft.

"Can you hear that?" He asked quietly and Adelaide narrowed her eyes, using her free hand to shine her torch down the tunnel. In the distance, she could hear heavy footsteps and the familiar clink of Flenderson's pickaxe.

"Oh, fuck me, not again." Adelaide groaned. She'd almost forgotten about the ghost of the body they'd found, he hadn't bothered them in a while. Lee's eyes were wide as she turned to the group.

"You guys go, I'll deal with this." She ordered and Adelaide and Gabriel nodded. The hunter was about to spring into action when she realised that Gabriel's hand was still clutched tightly in hers. She looked down at their entwined fingers then up at the archangel, who opened his mouth to say something but obviously thought better of it and quickly let go of her hand. They ran off down the tunnel towards the sound of the ghost, but Samandriel stayed put. Lee continued to search for her lighter when she realised that he hadn't gone with the others. "I said go." She reiterated but Samandriel only nodded back.

"I heard you." He said simply, watching her movements as if he were committing them to memory. Lee frowned at the angel, waving him off.

"Then do as Simon Says, man." She said. The angel shook his head and moved around the skeleton so he was stood across from her.

"No, I'm staying with you." Lee's frowned deepened and she stopped her search for her equipment.

"I can look after myself-" She began to argue but Samandriel interrupted her.

"I know, you're completely capable of taking care of yourself and others without any help." He spoke calmly, but his tone was edged with a severity she hadn't heard him use before. "But I'm not going to leave you on your own."

"Samandriel-"

"This is isn't a discussion, I'm staying." He said firmly, and Lee realised just how easy it was to forget who and what he was. She had forged a connection with one of the most powerful beings ever created. She studied his determined expression for a second, not quite believing just how fiercely he was willing to protect her. She took a deep breath then nodded, holding out the salt for him to take.

"Throw this over the body." Samandriel took the salt and immediately began to work.

Adelaide took the lead again with Gabriel close behind her, although the angel was taking the hunt a lot more seriously this time. Adelaide looked over her shoulder at Gabriel and realised he didn't have a weapon to protect himself with.

"Do you need a gun or anything?" She whispered.

"No." Came Gabriel's murmured reply and Adelaide frowned.

"So, what, are you gonna buy him a drink and hope he calms down?" She quipped and she heard Gabriel's huff of silent laughter.

"Trust me, angels have a thing." Adelaide looked back at him over her shoulder again.

"A thing?" She repeated. Gabriel gave her a slight, cheeky grin.

"A cool thing."

"I doubt it's _that_ cool." Gabriel's eyes widened at something over her shoulder and he grabbed her arm to get her attention.

"There!" He yelled and Adelaide whirled around to find Horace standing right in front of her. The old miner waved his pickaxe, his terrible, crumpled face taught with anger.

"This is _my_ mine!" He screamed and swung the pickaxe up over his head. Adelaide stumbled back just in time for Horace's axe to slam down into the rock where she had stood not a moment ago. Flenderson disappeared in a waft of smoke as his pickaxe hit the ground. Adelaide's eyes were wide as she turned to Gabriel, her chest heaving, but there was a huge smile on her face.

"That was close, eh?" She breathed, laughing a little. Gabriel didn't think there was anything at all amusing about the situation but before he could even roll his eyes, Adelaide suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him forward as the ghost appeared behind him again.

"Get out!" The miner roared, swinging his axe menacingly. Adelaide pulled Gabriel through the dark tunnel, trying to lead the ghost away from his body.

"Lee!" She yelled through the mine, worrying why it was taking her partner so long to dispatch the ghost. She'd lost her way and had no idea where they were. All she could hope was that her friends were close to salting and burning what was left of Flenderson.

"Working on it!" Lee shouted back, knowing that her friend could handle the situation. She turned back to Samandriel to see he was still sprinkling salt over the skeleton. She tutted and sighed exasperatedly. "No, not like you're adding flavour to your dinner, take the bloody top off."

They stopped running and rounded a corner, Adelaide finally letting go of Gabriel's wrist. She pulled out her gun and checked to make sure it was fully loaded. The magazine was thankfully full. Gabriel panted beside her, not used to this amount of exercise. He looked round, noticing that the cave was unusually quiet. He nudged Adelaide and she noticed too. She frowned.

"Where's he go-" Adelaide was suddenly thrown against the craggy stone wall, the breath pushed out of her lungs by the huge force of the decrepit miner. Her feet left the ground, kicking uselessly at the ghost. "Never mind." She mumbled as Horace pushed the wooden handle of his axe against her throat, cutting off her airways. He brought his face right up close to hers and roared furiously, his eyes turning red.

"This is _my_ mine!" Adelaide groaned and tried to move her face away from his.

"Oh, mate, toothpaste would go a long way." She moaned, the rancour of death invading her senses. She saw Gabriel run towards them over Flenderson's shoulder but the ghost suddenly threw out his arm and sent the archangel soaring backwards through the air. Gabriel smacked into the cave wall with a sharp cry. He struggled to stand but Horace's hand was splayed in his direction, holding him down somehow. The miner pulled back the axe, using his telekineses to hold her up against the wall.

"Get out!" He screamed, his whole ghostly form beginning to glow red with fury. He raised the pickaxe again, and this time, he couldn't miss.

"Lee!" Adelaide called fearfully, hoping with every fibre of her being that they weren't too far away for her partner to hear her.

"Samandriel!" Lee cried, warning him to get out of the way as she flicked on her lighter and dropped it onto the crushed remains of Horace Flenderson. The corpse immediately sparked and flashed, glowing eerily bright in the dark cavern. The ghost of Horace Flenderson froze, his red eyes wide and frightened. He dropped Adelaide heavily to the ground and she cried out as her body hit sharp stone. The ghost stumbled back and Gabriel found he could move again. He stood and immediately rushed to Adelaide, kneeling in front of her and checking her for injuries. Adelaide watched over the angel's shoulder as Horace Flenderson screamed, his hands raised in anger then disappeared in a whirl of thick acrid smoke.

"Whoa." Adelaide breathed, her chest rising and falling heavily. She looked to Gabriel and smiled brightly. "Almost got me." Gabriel laughed breathlessly and reached out to her.

"Are you alright?" He asked in a gentle voice, his hands just hovering over the sides of her face, hesitant to touch her. She nodded, smiling brightly up at him and he smiled back. He took her hands and began to help her stand when the hunter's eyes flew wide open.

"Look out!" Gabriel whirled around and placed his hand on the ancient miner's forehead. The ghost screamed as a bright white light shone out of his eyes and mouth, then, with a loud crash like thunder, he disappeared for good. When Gabriel turned back to her, he was panting hard, his golden eyes darkened and tired. Adelaide looked up at the archangel and felt that he'd earned at least one compliment from her that day. She pouted her lips thoughtfully. "Okay," She mused and Gabriel's eyes flicked down to meet hers. "That _was_ quite cool." Gabriel grinned breathlessly.

* * *

The four figures ambled in silence back through the dense forest. Exhausted, battered, bruised, but alive. They fell into Adelaide's old car, all of them smiling at a job well done. Though they'd initially planned to meet the brothers back at Bobby's, Dean had called and asked to met them at the hospital. He'd sounded a little shaken on the phone, but the hunters knew they probably just wanted them there in case they needed back up whilst leaving the hospital. They found the Impala waiting outside for them as Dean had said it would be but the brothers had yet to emerge. The two hunters and two angels waited outside of the car, not wanting to sit inside if they didn't have to after their claustrophobic time in the caves.

"I think that went quite well." Lee told the group. She got a few grunts in reply, but she hadn't expected much else.

"Like riding a bike." Adelaide agreed, smiling up at her friend who was sat on the bonnet of her car again. She wouldn't tell her off, at least, not yet. "One thing's still bothering me though."

"What's that?"

"How come he was able to hold you down like that?" Adelaide turned her head to Gabriel, her brow furrowed with worry. She'd told them all about their close encounter with Flenderson, she hadn't forgotten his frightening ability to keep Gabriel at bay. The archangel shrugged, clearly not as worried as she was, at least, not outwardly.

"I dunno, gorgeous." He replied, somewhat unhelpfully.

"Some spirits are just strong like that." Lee reminded her, but Adelaide wasn't so easily convinced. She gestured to Gabriel, who leaned against the car beside her.

"But he's an _archangel_." She protested. Gabriel sighed and wrapped an arm around the hunter's shoulders. She was so surprised, she forgot to brush him off.

"Don't worry about it, sugar. Stranger things have happened." He told her softly. Adelaide hated to admit it, but his calming tone and the arm around her were both oddly reassuring. She frowned at her friend, her lips all twisted in thought.

"Aren't you worried about it?" She asked him. Gabriel only gave her a clandestine smile in response. Adelaide would have pushed the matter further, but the door in the side of the hospital suddenly swung open and the Winchesters came hurrying out.

"Hey!" Lee called to them and the brothers, still dressed in their hospital clothes, turned around. They grinned when they saw their new partners waiting for them and hurried over.

"Hey, guys. How was the hunt?" Sam greeted them once they reached their car. Lee shrugged carelessly.

"Seen one ghost, you've seen them all really." She said casually and the boys nodded. Then she smiled wryly. "However, that was the first time I've ever been in a mine. And a cave in." The Winchesters' eyes widened.

"You were in a cave in?" Dean repeated in confusion and Lee blew a few strands of dark, curly hair out of her eyes.

"Ask Adelaide." She nudged her friend's arm. The boys looked expectantly to the other hunter and she sighed.

"It's been a very long, hard day." Was all Adelaide said. Then she nodded her head to Gabriel who was trying to make Samandriel uncomfortable by winking at him. "He didn't help." The archangel looked outwardly shocked.

"Again, I saved your life." He griped and Adelaide twisted her mouth at Sam and Dean who looked even more surprised.

"That is true." She admitted and Gabriel beamed at her.

"So, do I get a kiss now?" He asked cheekily and Adelaide gasped.

"No way!" She cried with a grin, only partly surprised at how forward he was being. Gabriel looked cheated.

"What? All Samandriel had to do to get a kiss was call her pretty." He said, gesturing at Lee, who should've felt offended but instead only shrugged carelessly.

"Actually, he said I was the most beautiful human being he's ever seen." She corrected him proudly and Adelaide rolled her eyes. "And it wasn't just that, he's been building up brownie points since the first time we spoke." She added with a smile in Samandriel's direction. Adelaide then remembered something Dean had mentioned in his text and turned to the youngest Winchester.

"So, Sam, how are you?" She asked innocently, but Dean could see that there was something behind her kind smile that meant mischief was brewing. Sam raised an eyebrow down at her as they walked around the Impala. He opened the passenger door of the old car and smiled back at her.

"I'm good, Adelaide, thanks." He said as he sat down in his seat, frowning slightly at her out of the blue question. Adelaide grinned, seeing her chance and taking it.

"Well, I'm glad." She said as she opened the car door and sat down in one of the back seats. She smiled at the younger Winchester, practically beaming with pride at the joke she was about to make. "Personally, I'm spectacu-lacular." She said and Sam groaned.

"Dean!" He yelled and his brother laughed. He leaned on the roof and reached into the car through the open door, offering his fist.

"Nice." He said approvingly and Adelaide grinned back.

"Cheers." She thanked him and bumped her fist against his. The seat dipped beside her and she turned to see Gabriel sitting in the seat next to her.

"Where's your buddy Martin? I thought you were bustin' him outta that hell hole." He said, a frowned etched onto his handsome features. Dean's smile dropped and he cleared his throat as he sat in the driver's seat of his beloved Impala.

"He wanted to stay." He said quietly and Gabriel's mouth pressed into a tight, grim line.

"Oh, sorry." He said, regretting bringing up the obviously sore topic. As if trying to make up for his slip, he said, "He sounded like a nice guy on the phone. Before Bobby took it off me anyways." Dean grunted his agreement and Gabriel was glad to be on the hunter's good side. Dean looked over his shoulder at the angel, his forehead creased in consternation.

"Hey, Gabriel, I've been thinking." He proposed and the archangel turned his head to Adelaide, his face suddenly very close to hers.

"There's a first time for everything." He whispered, and Adelaide had to stifle a giggle and attempt to ignore just how lovely Gabriel's breath felt brushing the skin of her neck.

"What about all that crap you said?" Dean continued as Gabriel pulled away, only half noticing how flushed his friend had become. "About having to choose, pick a side, get it over with?" Gabriel sighed, raising his hands and slapping them against the tops of his legs decisively.

"That's behind me now, boys." He said cheerily. "I was a tad pessimistic in the past. But now… Eh, I reckon you'll put it out of the bag somehow." He winked at Adelaide. "Especially with all the _lovely_ help you're getting." Sam ignored the angel's flirtations with the hunter and turned in his seat to face him.

"But Lucifer and Michael are growing stronger by the day." He reminded him and the archangel shook his head, turning to look at Adelaide.

"Don't worry we've got plenty of..." Gabriel's sentenced trailed off as his attention was stolen by the woman to his right. Adelaide was gazing out of the open door, her chin raised, her eyes following her partner as she spoke to Samandriel in the near distance. She watched them talk with a strange, soft smile growing on her lips. "Time..." He finished breathlessly. Gabriel found he couldn't look away. He watched as the sunlight made her eyes shine and the gentle wind played with her hair. His eyes followed the outline of her face, around her nose and over her lips, past her chin and down to her neck then up again. He was mesmerised. Adelaide sighed contentedly and finally turned away from the window.

"So, what are we…" She stopped and frowned when she saw the way the angel was looking at her. He had an almost dopey smile on his face and his eyes were half closed, however they snapped open when he realised she was looking at him. "What?" She asked, reaching up and brushing at her face, assuming that he was staring at something smudged there. Gabriel immediately looked away, choosing to stare out of his window.

"Nothing." He said quickly, thankful that from his new position, she couldn't see his bright red face. With wide eyes, Sam turned around in his seat to face the front, not wanting them to know he'd witnessed the whole thing. Adelaide frowned at Gabriel curiously, about to press him further, but her partner's voice stopped her.

"Adelaide, Gabriel, c'mon!" Lee shouted from Adelaide's car and she nodded, telling her that they'd be right there. She looked around and Gabriel had already disappeared, most likely sitting in the driver's seat of her car. She swung her legs around, as her mother had once taught her, and exited the Impala. Once she was upright, she leaned on the doorframe and ducked her head back inside.

"See you guys at home." She said with a smile, before she slammed the door closed behind her. As Adelaide walked back towards her Capri, she realised what she had just said. She had referred to Bobby's house as their home. It was very unusual for hunter's to call anywhere home, let alone somewhere they'd only been staying for a few days. Had she found a home with the Winchesters? They seemed to think so because they hadn't commented on her words. As she opened the car door and slumped into her seat, she felt a great sense of pride that came with a job well done and wondered what kind of adventure she and her new friends would have tomorrow.


	10. Chapter 10

Lee was sat at the kitchen table next to Samandriel, with Bobby sitting across from her. All was quiet in Singer's house, the dusty rooms lit by the morning sun. Lee was calmly reading the newspaper and drinking a steaming cup of tea whilst Samandriel read over her shoulder. After a while, she noticed that the angel was trying to read the paper, so she spread it out on the kitchen table so they could both see. Samandriel read extremely quickly, devouring the information hungrily, but Lee took her time, reading each sentence serenely, as if she had all the time in the world. Samandriel waited politely for her then turned the page when she smiled at him, silently telling him she was finished. They stayed that way for almost half an hour, happy in each other's company without saying a word. Bobby was reading through an old book of lore, humming quietly along with the radio that was crooning softly in the background. All was peaceful, until footsteps could be heard pounding down the rickety stairs. Lee looked up as her partner entered the kitchen, a bundle of kinetic energy, a stark contrast to the stillness of the scene not five seconds ago.

"Hey!" Adelaide greeted them cheerily, her blonde hair pulled back into a tight ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. There were a number of replies from the three at the kitchen table as Adelaide went to the fridge to grab the milk jug. Only after she'd poured herself a cup of tea and sat down at the table did she notice the absence of some of their little team. She looked around and frowned curiously. "Where is everyone?" She asked them. It was Bobby who answered.

"The boys are on a hunt." He informed her simply. "An old friend of theirs needs their help."

"Again?" Adelaide piped in surprise. "Boy, the Winchesters really are everyone's lethal friends with benefits, aren't they?" She quipped as she took a sip of her tea.

"That's one way of putting it." Bobby agreed with a slight smile. There was another comfortable silence as everyone thought to themselves for a moment, until Lee spoke up.

"Could you pass me the jam, please?" She politely asked Samandriel, who looked down at the array of breakfast items on the table in front of him with bewilderment. His brow creased in concentration until finally he pointed at a small pot, covered with a swatch of tartan.

"This one?" He asked and Lee nodded, grinning proudly.

"Expertly done, mate." She praised him and held out her hand as he passed her the pot of jam. A thought suddenly struck Adelaide and her eyes turned to Bobby.

"Hang on, did you say they've already left?" She asked and Bobby nodded.

"Couple of hours ago, yeah." Adelaide sat back in her chair, open-mouthed in disbelief.

"Without us?" She cried, both surprised and upset that she'd been left behind. "Why didn't they wait?"

"They came up to tell you they were going but you were fast asleep. They didn't wanna disturb you." Bobby told her, but Adelaide tutted, swirling her cup of quickly cooling tea around.

"Of course I was still asleep, it was probably the crack of dawn." She said bitterly. Lee looked up from spreading jam on her toast and gave her an incredulous look.

"It was 10:30." She told her. Adelaide looked momentarily stunned but quickly covered it up.

"Yeah, well, with the time difference, I'm still on London time." She said defensively, taking a haughty sip of her tea. Lee raised an eyebrow.

"You haven't been home in a year." She reminded her partner. Adelaide was out of arguments, so she stood from the table and started to root through the cupboards.

"Any bread left?" She asked innocently and Lee knew she'd won. Bobby sighed as he turned a page of his dusty, leather-bound book.

"I think it's a good idea you stay behind today anyways." He said, picking up the conversation again. He gestured to Lee. "For God's sake, Lee'd only been here for a few hours before she was on a hunt." Then he pointed at Adelaide as she rejoined the table, a bowl of cereal in hand after an unsuccessful hunt for bread. "And she told me about your little panic attack yesterday." Adelaide sent Lee an accusatory look and the latter looked down at her paper, hiding her face guiltily. She sighed and returned her attention to her cereal.

"It wasn't a panic attack, I just panicked. There was no attack." She stated firmly as she prodded her spoon into the bowl crossly.

"Still, today you can take a breather." Bobby said, ever the peacemaker. "I know this crap is a lot to handle."

"So, what are we supposed to do all day, just sit around the house?" Adelaide said petulantly. With a sigh she sat back in her chair and ate a spoonful of cereal. "This' like the summer holidays when you're fifteen." She said, talking with her mouth full.

"I'm quite excited about having a relaxing day." Lee said happily, turning the final page of her paper and reading about the latest sporting achievements of American teams she either didn't know or didn't care about. Adelaide gave her a reproachful look.

"You're gonna sit and drink tea and do nothing?" She said sceptically. Lee looked affronted.

"No." She said, quick to defend the day she was looking forward to. "I'm gonna do some research as well. And then, if I get bored, I'm gonna put make up on Samandriel." This made the two women laugh. Samandriel looked between them with concern.

"Speaking of, why aren't you with Sam and Dean?" Adelaide asked him.

"Oh, I just felt like hanging out here." He said simply, looking down at the colourful pictures of sporting men and women on the last page of the intriguing newspaper. "They did say I could come with them, but I thought it would be more fun to stay with you guys." This made Adelaide smile despite herself. It was very sweet of the angel to want to stay with them.

"We're not that fun." She said, draining her mug and preparing to get up and pour herself another. Samandriel didn't think that was true in the slightest, but he had learned not to argue with the blonde woman if he could help it.

"Amelia Lee is." He said as a consolation. Lee grinned back at the angel.

"Aw, he thinks I'm fun." She said happily over the top of her mug. Bobby rolled his eyes at the pair and turned to Adelaide.

"She's got her angel, where's yours?" He asked her and the woman raised her eyebrows.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing." She said. Then, realising her mistake, she added. "And he's not mine." Bobby scoffed and she rolled her eyes. Looking out of the kitchen window at the warm, South Dakota morning, she couldn't help but wonder about the angel. He'd travelled halfway home with them yesterday, but vanished before they reached Bobby's. Adelaide had spent the majority of the car journey wondering about where he went whenever he wasn't with them but was no closer to an answer. Even stranger was that Samandriel hadn't left their sides once since he'd arrived. Or, more specifically, Lee's side. Adelaide had mentioned this to her partner but Lee had only tutted, sighed and looked away with an uncharacteristic blush. Adelaide chewed her lip as she gazed out of the open kitchen window. A soft breeze swept in, making her shiver. "Wonder where he is." She mused aloud as she got up to make herself another cup of tea.

Gabriel actually was a lot closer than the hunters thought. He stood in the middle of Singer Salvage Yard, invisible to the human eye. He glanced up at the kitchen window where he could see Adelaide looking out. He smiled as she rolled her eyes and said something to her friend. Then something caught his eye. He turned around and scanned the yard. He could've sworn he saw something moving, something fast out of the corner of his eye. He took a few steps away from the house and for the first time in a very long while, he turned on his angel radio. Immediately he knew what was wrong. He looked up and there, just before it could blink away, stood an angel in its human vessel. Gabriel bit his lip and flew up onto the roof of Bobby's house. He did a quick scan, using the angel radio like sonar. But no, there was no one else here. He switched off his radio and felt worry stir in his chest. If the angels had found him, he was in big trouble. Helping the Winchesters had been a lethal decision. He had been in witness protection for a reason. He just had to hope that this strange angel was easy to track down. Flying back down to the dirt ground of Bobby's yard, Gabriel resumed his post as invisible sentinel. He was, after all, the self-established guardian of these hunters. Gabriel took a deep breath and tried not to think about who it was that might've seen him.

"Crap." He breathed, knowing that what would happen next would not be good.

* * *

Dean and Sam sat opposite their old babysitter, Donna. Beside her was her young daughter, Katie, who looked to be in her early teens. They had been called there early that morning with hope that they could scare off whatever it was that was haunting the family. Apparently, their daughter had been attacked and her parents had decided enough was enough.

"Well, when I was a maid at the Mayflower, out on the interstate, long before you were even an idea," The woman was telling her daughter as the Winchesters looked on with slight smiles. "Their daddy used to pass through town and leave the boys with me while he went off to..." She paused, trying to think of an appropriate word. "Work." She finished. Sam's eyes flicked downwards uncomfortably but he remained silent. "One time, he was gone for two weeks." Her daughter looked at the brothers in shock.

"Two weeks?" She repeated and Dean's chin dropped onto his chest, finding he couldn't look his old babysitter in the eye. The woman hummed and finished pouring herself a glass of lemonade.

"Oh, he'd always come limping back." She reassured her. She looked to the Winchesters and smiled kindly. "He loved you boys." Dean and Sam smiled back, although they both knew their father had never been particularly good at expressing feelings.

"Did you know what he did all that time?" The girl asked and Sam looked uncomfortable again.

"Little Sammy kept trying to tell me." Donna admitted. "Of course, I didn't believe him. Not at first, anyway." Sam cleared his throat and leaned forward in his chair to address the young girl.

"Katie, our dad, um, happened to be an expert at getting rid of ghosts." He explained. "And now, so are we."

"That's why I called them, sweetie. They can help us." Said Donna softly, placing a reassuring hand on her daughter's knee. They all looked up as a man entered the room, Donna's husband. He carried a couple of suitcases under his arms, a grim expression on his pale face.

"Sounds like you guys got yourself a poltergeist." Dean decided and the man nodded.

"Started a month or two after we moved in." He told them, looking to his wife who agreed.

"Yeah, first it was, uh, just bumps and knocks and scratches on the walls. And then it started breaking things." Dean nodded. Her words confirmed his suspicions, definitely some sort of poltergeist. The poor woman sounded scared out of her mind.

"And then it attacked Katie?" Sam asked gently, not wanting to stir up any buried traumas.

"That was two nights ago." Said Donna's husband. Donna turned to her daughter with worried eyes and spoke to her softly.

"Can you show them, honey?" She asked her. Katie nodded and slowly pulled off the blanket that was covering her lap. Carefully, she stood up and pulled up the front of her T-shirt to show the boys what the monster had done to her. Two words were crudely cut into her skin, leaving bloodied scars on her stomach.

"Murderd chylde?" Sam whispered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to work out the significance behind the words. Katie looked back at the Winchesters fearfully, her young face torn with dread. She lowered her shirt again and sat down next to her mum, pulling the blanket back over her lap protectively. Dean sighed and leaned forward in his chair.

"Katie, everything's gonna be fine. I promise." He told the young girl earnestly. Then to Donna and her husband, "Why don't you guys take yourselves a little vacation, and, uh, we'll take care of it." He suggested with a slight smile. Donna gave a relieved sigh.

"Thank you." She said gratefully.

* * *

"I hate research." Adelaide moaned. Across from her, Lee sighed exasperatedly.

"I know you do." She said unsympathetically, like a busy mother with her tiresome child who didn't want to do her homework. Adelaide covered her eyes with her hands, rubbing her fingers therapeutically against her forehead.

"It's just so boring." She groaned again and Lee glanced up at her with narrowed eyes.

"You say that every time we do this." She commented drily and Adelaide grumbled, absolutely bored stiff.

"Why can't we just drive around the country, hustling poker and getting into bar fights?" She whined, dropping her head with a light 'thunk' onto the wooden tabletop. Lee chuckled a little as she turned the page of her book.

"Because we're not two ex-policemen in a TV show from the 80s?" She teased. Adelaide grunted again and Lee sighed. "If you're bored, why don't you work on your car or something?" She suggested tactfully, knowing she wasn't going to get much work done with her partner being so distracting. Adelaide raised her head from the table and mulled over Lee's idea.

"She does need polishing. And the engine needs a look at." She mused and Lee's face brightened.

"Well, there you go." She said, raising her arms victoriously. Adelaide grinned and pushed back her chair with a loud scrape. Lee turned back to her book as Adelaide bustled about, grabbing her car keys and her phone. "By the way," Lee called, just as her friend was walking out of the library door. "I think it's really weird that you refer to your car as 'she'." Adelaide poked her head back around the door, a frown on her face.

"Captains do it with their ships." She said defensively and Lee looked up, one eyebrow raised.

"You're not a captain." She said bluntly, tucking a lock of her wild, curly hair behind her ear. Adelaide gave a bark of laughter as she disappeared from sight.

"I could be if you didn't hold me back." She called through the house and Lee, despite herself, let out a quiet chuckle.

"I thought you said Adelaide was kind of a dork." Bobby said from across the room. Lee looked up and found the older hunter watching her. He was sat behind his desk in the library, so she couldn't see him all that well from the kitchen, but she could still pick out the little smile on his face.

"She is." She replied, raising her voice a little so that he could hear her properly. "She was top of every class at school. Showed me right up." She grinned at that, although her academic failures were something of a sore spot. She'd moved around so much as a kid that by the time her family finally settled in South London, there were serious gaps in her education. Her parents still felt guilty about it to this day, they hadn't wanted their work to upset their children's lives so drastically. When Lee miraculously managed to get into secondary school, she'd been terrified. She wasn't stupid, she just hadn't stuck around long at any of her previous schools to learn much. On her first day, Lee was sat at the back of the class, just trying to keep her head down, when a small girl with a blonde ponytail and a bagful of books plunked down next to her. She could still remember the way she had stuck out her hand for her to shake, this peculiar, wide-smiling little girl who used words that like her uniform, were far too big for her. Lee had never met anyone like Adelaide before. They'd been inseparable ever since. "She was such a nerd. The only reason I graduated was because of her."

"Then how comes she hates research? Thought that'd be right up her street." Bobby mused, chewing thoughtfully on what looked like beef jerky but Lee wasn't brave enough to investigate further.

"She worked her arse off through school and university. I think she's earned a break." Lee replied, smiling to herself. Bobby grunted in reply. Lee had actually thought about this at great length. Adelaide had spent the first twenty-two years of her life studying, writing, suffering through exam after exam and now, she was finally free. Personally, Lee didn't think she'd want to read another word if she had done all that work. Luckily for them, Lee preferred the calm and quiet of research after the bustling first years of her life, otherwise they might not get any work done at all. They both looked up when Samandriel suddenly appeared in the centre of the room, a huge book in his hands that would have been too heavy for any mortal to carry comfortably. He brought it over and showed Lee the page he'd been reading with great excitement. Well, a little noise was appreciated. Especially if the noise-maker was a sweet angel with insatiable curiosity.

* * *

Inside Patriot Burger diner, Sam sat staring at his laptop screen whilst Dean ordered their lunch. He stood at the counter as a young man, barley in his teens, served up his order. Gary, as his name tag told him, carried his tray of food to the counter with a long, bored outward breath.

"Uh, bacon burger turbo, large chilli-cheese fries, uh..." He raised his eyebrows at the hunter. "And a Health Quake Salad shake?" Dean looked both disappointed and ashamed of his brother's choice of food

"I know. I know. It's, uh…" He cleared his throat. "It's not mine." He grabbed the tray before the boy could make him feel any more embarrassed and sat down opposite Sam. He passed his brother a fork after he grabbed his healthy meal. Sam took it gratefully, adding salad dressing to his food as he continued to stare at his laptop. He picked up the cup and shook it as Dean watched on sadly. Sam noticed him staring and Dean raised his eyebrows. "Oh, you shake it up, baby." He drawled and Sam rolled his eyes and continued to shake his salad. Dean cleared his throat and tucked into his own, much more unhealthy meal. "You know, poltergeist aside, Donna looked pretty good, don't you think?" Sam smiled a little.

"Dude, don't tell me you've still got the hots for our babysitter." He gibed. Dean looked surprisingly put out.

"What? No. That's weird." He chuckled falsely and Sam could only watch his brother in disbelief. "I'm just saying that she, you know, she's doing good." Sam pulled a face that told him he agreed with him and Dean continued. "You know, with her husband, her kid. This whole Amityville thing being thrown at them and they're hanging tough."

"Yeah." Sam agreed and Dean felt like he wasn't quite getting where he was going with this.

"You ever think that you'd want something like that?" He asked plainly and Sam looked up dubiously. "Wife, rugrats, the whole nine?" He went on to clarify and Sam shook his head.

"No, not really my thing anymore." He said honestly. Dean looked down at the tabletop, the meaning behind his brother's words knocking him back a step.

"Yeah." He agreed quietly, his mind turning to Lisa and Ben. He wondered how they were, what they were doing right at that moment. The sickness the image brought to his stomach shook Dean back to reality and he immediately changed the subject. "What you got?" He asked, and he and Sam both graciously ignored the lump in his throat.

"Uh, well, that house of theirs, it's old." Sam told him, relaying the information he'd found on websites relating to the little town as Dean chewed his burger noisily. "Really old. Um, hundreds of years. And I found a legend. It's unconfirmed, but still..."

"Saying?"

"Supposedly, in the 1720s, the house was owned by a guy named Isaiah Pickett." He turned his laptop to show Dean a site entitled 'Witchcraft'. Dean brushed off his hands and leaned in closer to read the article. "Legend has it, he hung a woman in his backyard for witchcraft. A woman named Maggie Briggs."

"Okay, so an angry ghost witch?" Dean concluded and Sam shrugged.

"If it's true." He said. From behind the counter, Gary, the young man who had served Dean, was watching the brothers intently, a smirk on his pale face. "That still doesn't explain what 'murdered chylde' means."

"No, or where the bitch is buried."

"You know, I mean, it's a long way back, but I can see if I can find something in the town records."

"It's worth a shot." Gary's smirk grew into a smile. He continued to watch the Winchesters until his boss called him back to work.

* * *

Bobby wheeled himself into the kitchen after a few minutes of watching Adelaide stare out of the window aimlessly. He'd grown tired of her listlessness and had decided to give her something to do. It was clear that this life of sitting around and researching was not for her. She liked action and adventure and excitement. Lee seemed to find the laid-back, investigative side of hunting much more appealing. Perhaps it was because she had been raised a hunter, she had grown tired of the chase and yearned for a quiet life, as so many hunters did. Bobby let the heavy book he'd picked out drop heavily onto the small table, making Adelaide jump.

"Here, make yourself useful." He said, gesturing to the bulky volume. Adelaide removed the hand that was pressed to her chest out of fright and glared at the older man.

"I _am_ useful." She said defiantly and Bobby nodded.

"Sure you are, sweetheart." He said, making Adelaide's dark blue eyes narrow dangerously.

"Don't you start." She warned him, hoping and praying that one day, the men she was surrounded by would stop giving her stupid nicknames. Bobby raised his eyebrows, not expecting that kind of reaction from the usually easy-going woman.

"What's got you all worked up?" He asked and Adelaide sighed.

"Nothing. Just thinking about... Everything." She said quietly. Bobby sat back in his chair, understanding immediately what she meant. It was difficult to be sitting still whilst they knew the world was at its end. Bobby looked over his shoulder at Lee who was standing in library watching them. She twisted her mouth sadly. He nodded and turned back to Adelaide, reaching over and patting her shoulder encouragingly.

"Don't worry about it. We're doing everything we can." He said, but Adelaide still looked worried.

"I know, but-"

"Hey, no buts." Bobby interrupted her and Adelaide closed her mouth with a wry smile. "If anyone can pull this off, it's us, got it?" Adelaide nodded her head, finding the older man suddenly reminded her of her mother with his ability to make her feel better.

"Got it." She said determinedly, suddenly feeling a lot better. As Lee walked over to the join them and give her partner an encouraging hug, Bobby rolled his eyes.

"Especially with all the help we're getting from on high." When Adelaide looked confused he nodded over his shoulder to where Samandriel was sat, happily reading one of his extensive books on monsters. "Loverboy over there and your pain in the ass." Adelaide's smile melted away and she shook her head agitatedly.

"Again, he's not mine." She protested. Shaking her head in disbelief, her eyes turned skywards. "Why does everyone think that?" She mumbled to herself.

"Probably because you've been worrying about him all afternoon." Lee interjected, a smirk on her red lips. Adelaide's eyes widened and she sat up straighter in her chair, clearly affronted.

"I'm not worried, I'm just... Wondering." She burst out lamely. Then she raised her chin defiantly and went on. "Like you said, he's an asset. We need him." Lee snorted and leaned against the counter behind her as she responded.

"Don't pretend you wouldn't like to get your hands on his assets." She snickered. Adelaide turned around in her chair and narrowed her eyes at her best friend.

"I _will_ fight you."

* * *

Gary flexed his new muscles in the mirror of the cheap motel room. His reflection showed the image of the attractive man whose body he had borrowed.

"Oh, yeah." He said admiringly, pleased with what he'd accomplished. "Bring it!" He turned away from the mirror and looked down at his new physique with approval. "Holy crap." He breathed in disbelief, not sure whether he was dreaming or not. The spell had worked perfectly and no one would suspect a thing. He looked up suddenly when the man's brother entered the room, looking frustrated.

"Sam!" The man said in surprise and Gary dropped his hands, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "Where the hell you been, man? I've been trying to call you for hours." Gary momentarily panicked but berated himself quickly. There was no reason for the man's brother to suspect that there was anything wrong, he just had to keep his head.

"I picked up some food." He said quickly, pointing awkwardly to the paper bags on the chair. "Bacon burger turbo, large chilli-cheese fry, right?" He said as the man stepped forward to take off his jacket. Gary held the bag up for him and tried not to sigh with relief when he grabbed it. He smiled crookedly. "Sorry, man. Really. I-I just- I lost track of time. I didn't mean to freak you out." He apologised, pulling on one of Sam's many flannel shirts.

"Thanks." Dean said doubtfully. He was surprised that Sam would so readily apologise for such a little thing, especially with what they had been going through lately. "Don't know why it took you two hours, but thanks." He began to open the white paper bag when his brother stopped him.

"Oh, you're gonna want to eat that on the road." He warned him. Dean frowned.

"Why?" He asked, bitter that something would come in-between him and his burger. Gary hunched his shoulders gawkily.

"The maid came in, saw _that_," He nodded down to the weapons laid out on the motel bed, ready for cleaning. "And now they're all kind of freaking out." Dean turned on his brother in disbelief.

"Why'd you let the maid in?" He asked, shocked that his brother would make such a rookie mistake after all their years on the job. Gary shook his head and shrugged his new, much broader, shoulders.

"It just happened." He said, hoping that that would be enough to convince the man. Dean scrutinised his brother a second longer before he nodded his weary head.

"Whatever. I gotta hit the head and then we'll take off." Gary gave him a relieved smile and watched the man walk away.

"All right. I-I'll be outside." He called as the bathroom door slammed shut. Gary picked up Dean's phone and flipped it open. He smiled, glanced at the bathroom door then flipped it shut again.

* * *

Adelaide was back in the library, her car in as best a condition as it could possibly be. She had officially exhausted all of her outlets for procrastination. Lee was in the library, sitting comfortably atop Bobby's desk whilst Adelaide lolled about on the sofa, her feet up on the coffee table. She let out a despondent groan and Lee looked up agitatedly.

"You're still bored, aren't you?" She asked and Adelaide groaned again.

"Oh, God, yes." She replied and Lee sighed. She swung her legs, using the momentum to slide off the desk and sat down next to her partner, placing the book carefully in front of her.

"Then here, help me out with this." She said and Adelaide looked up curiously. She reached out and turned the page, her fingertips gliding over the pencil drawn illustrations.

"What is this?" She asked as she studied the folio. Lee barely managed to hold back a smile, she was pleased that Adelaide was interested in the work for once, instead of messing around.

"There's been trouble down South. Bobby thinks it's a Rugaru." She explained. Adelaide looked up, her forehead creased into a frown.

"What's a Rugaru?" She asked interestedly. Lee was ecstatic that she'd found something that would keep her friend's mind occupied, so she quickly turned the page and showed her a picture of the creature in question before Adelside lost interest. It looked just a like a human, except its skin was mottled and rubbery. Its eyes were red and blood covered its mouth and front.

"That's what I said." She agreed, looking down at the illustration with disgust clear on her face. "Apparently, you don't get many of them back home. My parents have certainly never come across one. So he's making me read up on them. He says we're gonna need to know what we're dealing with if we're gonna help him hunt it." Adelaide ran her fingers down the page, following the words with her fingertips as she read. Though she abhorred research, her hunger to learn had not left her.

"Rugarus are born as humans and are typically unaware of their condition. At a certain age they will begin craving large quantities of food. A person who possesses this inherited gene will eventually give in to the urge to feed and will devour humans." She pulled a face. "Nice."

"Oh, it gets better." Said her partner as she continued to read where Adelaide had left off. "It says that once the Rugaru gives in to its desire to feed on humans, there's no going back. The Rugaru will lose its human appearance and change into a monster."

"How do we kill it?"

"Fire." Lee said simply. "Lots and lots of fire." Adelaide raised her eyebrows as she continued to turn the pages of the book.

"Ah, nice and subtle then." She commented and Lee hummed in agreement. Samandriel padded into the room, his nose buried in the book Bobby had given him to read. He looked up when he heard laughter and saw Lee and her partner leaning over a huge book that resembled the one in his hands. He then noticed something peculiar about the way Lee was dressed.

"You're wearing a dressing gown." He said suddenly. Lee looked up in surprise and then down at the clothing in question. She had changed back into her pyjamas now that she knew she wasn't going anywhere and had slung her old, tartan dressing gown over the top. It was something she had bought a long, long time ago and it reminded her of home. She looked back up at the angel with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah." She said slowly, glancing at Adelaide who was still studying the book in front of them. Samandriel was looking at the clothing enviously.

"I want one." He said and Lee snorted.

"Well, you're not havin' mine. You've already had my sunglasses." She laughed. Adelaide frowned, her attention leaving the book instantly.

"You gave him your-"

"Adelaide." Her partner cut her off sharply, her eyes wide. Before anyone could say anything else, Bobby's voice called through the house.

"Alfie!" The angel's head turned slightly when he heard their friend use his nickname. He told them he would be right back before flying off to see what the older hunter needed. Adelaide waited until she knew they were alone before she grilled her friend.

"You gave him your sunglasses?" She gasped and Lee's head dropped into her hands. "But you've been going on about how much you love them for weeks. Weren't they really expensive?" Lee sighed.

"Yeah, but..." She waved her hands about ineffectively, not knowing how to explain herself. "He was so adorable, Adelaide!" She said eventually. Her partner sighed wearily as Lee continued to babble. "He said he'd never worn them before and he was so excited and he told me this little story and-"

"Okay, I've got it, thanks." Adelaide cut her off, a smile beginning to grow on her lips. "Your angel's too damn adorable for words." Lee huffed and nodded helplessly, making Lady laugh.

"Yours is pretty cute too." She told her and Adelaide rolled her eyes.

"Gabriel is an idiot." She snorted. "I'm surprised he even made it to archangel status, he'd probably trip over his own shoelaces."

* * *

Gabriel surveyed the scene before him. It was dangerous coming here, but he needed to keep the angels away from his friends. He was stood in an abandoned quarry, not far from Bobby's home but far enough. He waited and waited, counting the seconds, before he decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Well, c'mon then!" He called. He turned on the spot, his arms spread wide as if in invitation. "Show me your ugly faces!" Then he sighed. "Let's get this over with." He muttered to himself. A gentle breeze blew behind him and all his senses went into overdrive.

"Gabriel." A familiar voice murmured. Gabriel put on a false smile and span around.

"Eremiel." He greeted the angel civilly. She was wearing the vessel of an older woman with greying hair, dressed in a purple suit. "Lovely to see you again." He said. The angel did not smile back. Another flapping of wings had him turning on his heel again. There stood another angel, wearing the vessel of a tall, muscled Hispanic man. Gabriel's relaxed smile slipped a little. "Oh, and Temeluchus. Long time no see." He said, curtly nodding his head. The stony faced angel did not reply.

"Gabriel, we thought you were dead." Said Eremiel. Gabriel turned back to face her, keeping careful watch of her companion out of the corner of his eye. He didn't like uneven odds, and he definitely didn't like having his opposition where he couldn't see them.

"That's because I wanted you to think that." He said, and the angel looked hurt.

"Why? Why did you leave all those years ago?" She implored desperately. Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

"Family problems. I'm sure you heard what happened. It was all over the news." Eremiel shifted uncomfortably at his words, knowing precisely what he was referring to. She cleared her throat, her eyes not quite meeting his.

"Your brother's lack of faith does not mean that you can just-"

"You can say his name, you know." Gabriel interrupted in a bored tone. He saw the angel glance over his shoulder at her thus far silent partner and he tensed a little.

"Lucifer's fall had nothing to do with the rest of us. You had no reason to leave." Eremiel continued, choking on his brother's name a little. Gabriel shrugged carelessly at the angel.

"I had no reason to stay either." He told her honestly. Behind him, the taller angel stirred.

"But you have found a reason to stay with the Winchesters?" Temeluchus concluded, his voice deep and foreboding. Gabriel's careless façade slipped a little more and they obviously noticed.

"Yes, we know you've been assisting them." Eremiel stated, her confidence beginning to return. It was a dangerous thing to threaten an archangel, but he had allowed them to grasp the upper hand. Meanwhile, Gabriel was beginning to feel sick. It was as he had feared, the angels knew about him helping the Winchesters. Temeluchus tilted his head to the side calculatingly, enjoying watching the archangel squirm.

"Could it be you've chosen the vessels over your own brothers?" He asked and Gabriel sighed exasperatedly.

"I haven't chosen anyone over anyone." He groaned, his head lolling backwards in irritation. "Man, you guys are dramatic." He muttered, loud enough for them to hear. He needed to show them that he didn't care, that they hadn't gotten to him. That was the only way he and his new friends had any chance of surviving this. The vacant expressions on the angels' faces told him they needed more of an explanation. "I needed a vacation, I took one. I liked it down here… I'm still here." He summarised vaguely, waving his hands about to help him explain himself. Eremiel's sharp grey eyes narrowed.

"The Winchesters must say yes." She said firmly. Gabriel sighed again.

"Must they?" He asked, but he should've guessed by now that sarcasm was lost on these people.

"Yes." Said Eremiel plainly, her brow creasing. "That is how it must be." She stepped towards him and Gabriel's relaxed stance tightened. "Ever since our father brought life to this Earth, it has always been them. You should know that more than anyone." Gabriel began to frown, his lips pouted in thought. He raised a finger.

"I have a question." He said, and Eremiel's lips parted in confusion. "When did you find out where the Winchesters are?" He asked. It was Temeluchus who answered him.

"Around about the same time we discovered you were still waltzing around the Earth as if you owned it." He boomed as he stepped closer to the archangel. Gabriel closed his eyes wearily.

"Right, right, right." He said quickly, knowing that he was running out of time fast. "So, why haven't you gone after them, huh?" When neither angel answered, his expression brightened with realisation. "Oh, I see." He said quietly. Eremiel's gaze dropped to the floor. "As soon as you found out that I was dropping in now and then, you ran away with your tails between your legs." Gabriel concluded, starting to feel the reins falling back into his hands. He gave an incredulous laugh. "I can't believe this." He muttered. "After all this time, you're still scared of me." Temeluchus gritted his teeth.

"Not scared, wary." He corrected him and Gabriel turned to face him. "There is no use pretending that your power is not a force to be reckoned with." Gabriel winked at the much taller angel.

"You old charmer, you." He cooed, but Temeluchus was not so easily wound up.

"But now, there are two of us." He said, beginning to give him a smile that made Gabriel nervous. "And we are armed. And unlike you, we listen to our orders." Gabriel's shoulders lowered, his exprrssion turning disdainful as he turned to speak to Eremiel. He remembered her being one of the more reasonable angels, but now she looked in need of guidance. And she had found it in one of the most dangerous of angels, the angel standing behind him.

"So, is that it, then? That's why I'm here, so you can kill me?" When Eremiel's gaze lowered he shook his head. "That is disappointing." He said sadly. Then he shrugged, twisting his mouth apologetically. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I've got places to be." He was about to fly away when Eremiel's voice stopped him.

"Going to see your pets?" She asked, making Gabriel's stomach twist unpleasantly. "And their new friends." That got Gabriel's attention. No, not that.

"What was that one hunter's name?" Temeluchus mused. "The one you seem to like ever so much." He gave a twisted grin when Gabriel turned to him and his eyes narrowed. "Oh, yes, Adelaide Kingsley." Gabriel froze. He felt rage begin to bubble in his chest. How dare they. How dare they speak her name.

"There has been great discussion about her in Heaven." Eremiel said, liking the way the power had returned to them. "You're close to her." Gabriel shrugged carelessly, trying desperately to brush them off so he could leave.

"She's a friend." He said nonchalantly, but Temeluchus' eyebrows rose and Gabriel knew he was in trouble.

"Only a friend?" Said the dark-skinned angel. "We thought you would've bedded and got rid of her by now." Gabriel only barely held back a snarl, his hands balling into tight fists at his sides.

"It's not like that." He growled, knowing that he was beginning to lose his temper. He turned, ready to leave before he did something he regretted, but Temeluchus laughed.

"She seems like a typical whore." He jested. That was when something in Gabriel's head snapped. He couldn't hold back the pure hatred and rage that was boiling over inside of him. He turned to Temeluchus and flexed his fingers.

"Okay, fun's over now." He said darkly. Immediately, Temeluchus sprang forward, his angel blade seeming to appear out of nowhere. Gabriel raised his arm and blocked the angel's blow, ducking out of his way so that he stumbled forward. Eremiel gave a cry as she leapt at him, her own blade glinting in the fading light. Gabriel pulled out his blade and raised it to meet hers, the two weapons clanging against each other. The power that vibrated through the blades made his teeth shake, so he pushed her back and off him, relying on his archangel strength to give him the advantage.

Eremiel was quickly advancing on him again but Gabriel was ready for her this time. As Eremiel raised her blade, Gabriel was quicker, reaching forward and stabbing the angel right in the chest. Bright, blinding light shone out of the vessel's eyes and mouth before she fell to the ground, dead. Gabriel took a few deep breaths before pulling his blade out the angel's chest. Suddenly, Temeluchus was coming at him again. The angels fought desperately, both giving and receiving blow after blow. Gabriel managed to knock Temeluchus' blade from his hand and use his power to shatter the knife into a dozen pieces. Temeluchus screamed with rage and lunged for the archangel, his hands flying to his throat.

Gabriel was shoved to the ground, his blade knocked from his hand. Temeluchus sat on his chest, dealing punch after punch to his face. Pain soared through his vessel's body. His nose was bleeding, his skin bruised. Then, with what could only be described as sheer dumb luck, the archangel managed to push Temeluchus off him and scrambled to his feet. He grabbed his angel blade and span around, ready to deal the final blow, but there was a sudden sharp, excruciating pain in his abdomen. Gabriel slowly looked down to see Temeluchus on his knees before him, his hand leaving a shard of the shattered blade in his stomach. Gabriel's mind span, he felt dizzy and sick and dazed. But he had just enough power left in him to reach forward and shove the angel blade into Temeluchus' cold heart. The angel screamed and ignited in the same way as his partner, then fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

* * *

"So, uh, where we going, anyway?" Gary asked curiously, dressed in Sam Winchester's clothes. Dean looked at his brother incredulously.

"To work." He said, but he still looked confused. "The case?" Gary nodded and waved his arms clumsily.

"Oh, right. Yeah. The case. Of course." He stumbled as Dean's confusion only grew. His brother had been acting strangely recently. It was starting to get weird. "Where, uh, do you want to start?" Gary asked, trying to get back on track. Dean sighed.

"Well, since you couldn't find where Maggie Briggs was buried, now we have to do an all-day tombstone roll to see if we can dig her up." He said irritatedly. Gary's eyes suddenly lit up, Dean's words clicking something in his memory.

"Wait. M-Maggie Briggs?" He repeated as he walked around to his side of the old Impala. "You mean, like- Like, the _witch_ Maggie Briggs?"

"Yeah, Sherlock."

"Yeah, she's in the basement." Dean looked up in surprise.

"Come again? W-what basement?" He asked slowly, his eyebrows drawn together, his mouth hanging slightly open. Gary grinned excitedly, he was finally making tracks here.

"Isaiah Pickett's house." He said happily. He leaned his forearms on the roof of the car and moved his hands about to help him explain as Dean watched on dubiously. "Okay, there's this legend that he hung her, but he didn't. The real truth is that she was carrying his illegitimate child and he killed her and then buried her in the basement." Dean took a moment to process this.

"The 'murderd chylde'." He realised and Gary smiled elatedly. "That would explain the scratches. How do you know all this?" Gary shook his head, starting to grin with excitement. This was his area of expertise and it was finally coming in handy.

"Oh, I've done all _kinds_ of research on it." He told the man whilst Dean looked astonished. "I mean, you know, last night." He added quickly to avoid suspicion. Dean still stared at his brother with something akin to amazement, but much closer to confusion.

"Yeah. Nice work... I guess." He said slowly. He opened the door to the Impala and climbed in, still running their conversation over in his head and trying to figure out why it was making alarm bells ring. To take his mind off of it, he turned on the radio and Bob Seger's 'Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets' began to blast out of the speakers.

"Aw, man, turn it up!" His brother exclaimed happily. Dean froze, his eyes flicking from his brother to the radio with confusion.

"Seriously?" He asked. His brother usually hated the music that blared from the old car.

"Hell yeah!" Gary cried, beginning to nod his head to the music. Dean slowly cranked the volume up on the radio and shook his head. Something weird was definitely going on.

* * *

Gabriel took in a deep, shaky breath and surveyed the scene before him. He let out an incredulous laugh.

"Okay, okay, you're alive." He mumbled as he patted himself down, checking his vessel for injuries. "Fantastic." He breathed. But then he felt a sharp, blinding pain. He hissed and flattened his palm against his stomach. Oh, he'd forgotten about that. He pulled his hand away and saw that it was coated in blood. Gabriel felt his chest tighten as the gravity of the situation dawned on him. Wincing in pain, he reached his fingers into the wound and pulled out a fragment of angel blade. He stared at the shard in his hand and felt his blood run cold. "Uh oh."


	11. Chapter 11

Lee wasn't sure what had woken her up, but a quick glance at her phone made her really wish it hadn't. It was horribly early, she'd only been asleep for a few hours. Lee turned over on her makeshift bed to see if Adelaide was having the same trouble sleeping, but she wasn't there. Lee frowned and pulled off her light covers. After much deliberation, Adelaide had kept Sam's bed and an old chaise lounge had been dragged in from another room for Lee to sleep on. They alternated each night, meaning that no one would have to sleep on the improvised bed for very long. Lee didn't mind much, she was warm and it was comfy enough. Being a hunter meant you couldn't have airs and graces about the little things. She grabbed her dressing gown from the end of the chaise and pulled it around her as she climbed down the stairs as quietly as she could.

She didn't have to worry about making too much noise once she was downstairs. Bobby had decided he was far too exhausted to sleep on the couch, so Samandriel had very kindly flown him upstairs to his old bed. Lee entered the library and was surprised to see said angel sitting on the sofa reading. He looked up when he heard the floorboards creak underfoot and he smiled at her. Lee smiled back and gently squeezed his shoulder as she walked past him to the kitchen, where she could see the light was still on. Adelaide was sitting at the table, staring out of the window, though what she was looking at Lee wasn't sure, it was far too dark to see anything. Lee stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the door frame.

"You're still up?" Adelaide turned away from the window and smiled at her friend. There were thick purple rings under her eyes from the lack of sleep, but that was normal for a hunter. They were lucky if they got more than five hours a night. What worried Lee was the lacklustre look in her friend's eyes. She was usually the bright, overly-optimistic one, but now she supposed their week had finally caught up with her. Adelaide looked tired, not only physically, but emotionally.

"Couldn't sleep." She replied softly. Lee noticed the steaming mug of tea in her hands and knew that her friend wouldn't attempt to get any more sleep that night. She glanced at the clock on the wall and saw it was nearly three. She winced, knowing that they'd both be exhausted for the rest of the day. Mercifully, they had another peaceful day ahead of them. With a badly disguised yawn, Lee slid into the seat across from her friend and carefully removed her fingers from around the chipped, blue mug. Adelaide grumbled but let her friend steal her drink.

"You can't sleep." Lee repeated thoughtfully as she raised the mug to her lips. "Could it be the crippling anxiety keeping you awake? The result of not having heard from a certain angel in over twenty-four hours?" Adelaide glared back at her, the shadows making her frown seem even more pronounced. Lee smiled back at her and returned her drink. Adelaide's fingers immediately slipped back around the mug, the heat spreading from the palms of her hands up her arms and to the rest of her body. Lee looked down at the tabletop, tapping her fingertips on the gnarled wood. "Or perhaps," She propositioned slowly. "You are troubled by the fact that you haven't seen your family in a long time." Adelaide quirked her eyebrows.

"Bingo." She murmured dejectedly. Lee sat back in her chair and stretched her arms above her head until her back and elbows popped. It was a bad habit of hers, but she couldn't help it, especially when she was dog-tired. Adelaide grimaced at the sound but didn't say anything.

"Then let's just go home." Lee proposed, moving to click her neck as well, but thought better of it when she saw the disgusted look on her partner's face. "We wouldn't have to be there for very long, they'd understand." She reasoned. Adelaide was grateful for the help her friend was trying to give her, but it was no use.

"But we've got so much to deal with here." She replied bitterly. Lee began to chew on her lip and looked down at her hands as she continued. "The guys are _this_ close to breaking, Lucifer's running wild and free, Death himself is against us... I just..." She broke off, shaking her head. "How do I go back to a normal life after all this?" She finished with a lost look on her face. Lee hated to admit it, but her friend did have a point.

"We wouldn't have to go back forever, we can just take a break." She assured her, tilting her head to one side. Adelaide looked to her friend and, as always, she found comfort in her warm, brown eyes. At least she knew that Lee would always be there for her when she was feeling terrible.

"Sam and Dean can't take a break." She remarked, making Lee sigh.

"Their family isn't halfway across the world from them." She reminded her, and Adelaide had to agree on that point. They were silent for a moment, both listening to the sound of Samandriel humming to himself in the next room as he turned the pages of yet another of Bobby's books. Lee smiled faintly and stood up to make herself her own cup of tea so she didn't have to steal any more of Adelaide's. She grabbed a saucepan off the stove and filled it with water from the tap with an acute look of disgust on her face. What kind of household didn't have a kettle? As the pot on the stove began to boil, Adelaide sighed wistfully.

"I just... I don't think I can sit with my mum and talk about what's on the telly or whoever the new Prime Minster is when I know what's going on upstairs and down." She said, and Lee tried not to laugh her friend's odd phrasing. Instead, she looked over her shoulder at Adelaide, the handle of the pot in her hand.

"I know it's hard." She said sympathetically as she moved around the kitchen, searching for a tea bag and a cup in Bobby's cluttered cupboards. "Why don't you start with a phone call? I know your mum's dying to hear from you." There was a thoughtful silence as Adelaide pondered over her friend's suggestion. She finally came to a decision as Lee was pouring the last of the boiled water into a tremendously out-of-place china teacup that she had managed to unearth in her search.

"What time is it in England?" She asked and Lee glanced at the wall clock again.

"About eight." She calculated, and Adelaide raised her eyebrows.

"Ah, just in time for the news then." She realised as she pulled out her phone. She unlocked it and pulled up her mum's contact number. Adelaide was torn. Could she really sit and have a conversation with her mother about normal life? About the job she had made up to protect her? Lee was just leaving the kitchen with her tea when she saw Adelaide hesitate.

"Hey," She called softly, making her partner look up. She smiled at her warmly and raised her cup. "It'll be okay." She said encouragingly and Adelaide grinned back. Finally, she lowered her thumb and the phone began to ring. Lee stayed and watched, leaning against the door frame and taking languid sips of her tea. Adelaide's eyes suddenly widened as she was put through to her mother. A huge grin slid onto her face at the sound of her mum's voice, she really had missed her a lot. She hadn't spoken to her in weeks, maybe even a month or two.

"Hey, mum. It's me." She spoke into the phone. Lee could just about hear Miss. Kingsley's gasp of surprise and began to chuckle quietly. "I know, I'm sorry. I miss you too." Adelaide paused as her mother spoke then she glanced up at Lee. "Yeah, she's fine. Lee smiled at a job well done then left the room to give them some privacy. She made a beeline for the empty seat next to Samandriel, plunked her cup down on the coffee table and flopped onto the sofa.

"Howdy, gorgeous." She greeted the angel, sounding much more chipper than she should at three in the morning. Samandriel managed to tear his gaze away from his book long enough to meet Lee's eyes.

"Howdy." He echoed in reply, trying the word out for the first time with no small amount of bewilderment. Lee picked up her tea again now that she was comfortable and it wasn't in danger of slopping everywhere.

"You can't sleep either?" She asked curiously as she took a sip. Samandriel eyed her drink interestedly as he spoke to her, wondering what it tasted like and why his companion drank so much of it. The sheer volume she consumed couldn't be healthy.

"Angels don't sleep." He told her, turning his gaze back to his book. "Also, to me, the premise seems a little disconcerting." Lee nodded understandingly.

"So what do you do instead?" She asked. When Samandriel looked up again, there was a wide smile on his face that made Lee's heart thud. To distract herself, Lee looked down at her lap and began to pick at a loose thread in her dressing gown.

"I like to read. Bobby's library is incredible." The angel told her enthusiastically as he turned yet another page. Lee was impressed at the speed at which he was consuming the information. Perhaps, she thought, he was studying up on the weapons, monsters and legends they had to deal with so that he could be of better use on their next hunt. Samandriel suddenly frowned and looked back up at his new friend. "Why aren't you asleep?" He asked with clear concern. "It's very early." Lee shrugged and drew her knees up to her chest, her heels digging into the leather to keep her grounded.

"Dunno. Just couldn't drift off." She said simply. Samandriel watched again as she drank from her cup. After a moment, he closed the book and angled his body so that he was facing her.

"What does it feel like? Sleep?" He asked quietly, very aware of the stillness of the house. He wasn't quite up to speed with all these new human senses, but something was telling him that at this time in the morning, when the house was this quiet, he should be mindful of how loud he was.

"It's different for different people." Lee explained. She quite liked the idea of being his place to go for answers. She would never say anything, but whenever Samandriel checked with her about something or asked her a question, she felt a little bubble of pride and her failures at school, which still gnawed at the back of her mind sometimes, were quieted at last. "My sister- her name's Emily, she's two years younger than me." She added, knowing that he liked hearing the details of her family. "She always goes to sleep really easily. Like, her head hits the pillow and she's gone." She said, clicking her fingers to emphasise her point. "But it takes me hours. You just suddenly wake up and it's the morning. Sometimes you dream, but that's too difficult to explain." She laughed a little and took another sip of tea. "Right now, I'm pretty knackered, but I just can't nod off." Samandriel rested his book on the arm of the sofa and began to stand up.

"Would you like me to take you upstairs?" He asked, but Lee reached across and put her palm against his chest, gently pushing him back down onto the sofa. Half of her brain was thinking it was unbelievably sweet of him to offer to _carry her up to bed_. However, it was soon drowned out by the other half which was screaming because she was touching the angel's chest.

"No, it's alright, I'm happy here for now." She assured him, after her heart had stopped line dancing. She snuggled back into the soft, worn leather and let out a comfortable sigh as she closed her eyes. "Why don't you tell me what you've been reading?" She suggested. Samandriel watched her for a moment before smiling and reaching across to grab his book. He opened it to the page he'd been on and began to read aloud for the first time in his human vessel.

"Dragons are a very rare race of supernatural creatures that have not been hunted for over seven hundred years. In fact, they are so rare that most veteran hunters- I suppose that means people like Bobby- dismiss their existence as purely fictional. Only a select few know otherwise, and even then..." Samandriel broke off when Lee's head lolled onto his shoulder, her whole body relaxing. He tensed up, not knowing what to do. But then he heard his friend give a contented sigh and she began to snore quietly. Samandriel relaxed and smiled down at the hunter. He carefully pried her nearly full cup from her hand, worried that it might spill, and rested it on his lap. He smiled down at the woman whose body leaned against his and felt his chest stir with the Feeling again. Shaking his head, he turned back to his book and continued to read, hoping that Amelia Lee's sleep was a restful one and that she dreamed of dragons.

* * *

Dean pressed a button on the motel room phone and waited to be put through. He had tactfully tied Sam, or whoever it was inside Sam, to a chair. The imposter looked decidedly nervous. Dean waited patiently whilst the phone rang then the familiar answer machine stated, 'You have 38 messages.' Dean immediately began to feel anxious. Where was the real Sam? He'd been missing for a couple of days. Why hadn't he tried to find him? Anything might've happened to him. The machine beeped and Sam's voice played over the speakers.

"Uh, this is gonna sound crazy- really crazy- but I think, uh, I think I'm in the wrong body." The machine beeped again. "Dean, the guy right next to you is not me!" Another beep. "Dean, check your friggin' voicemail. Damn it." The messages got more and more frightened as time passed. Dean suddenly stopped being worried and started getting angry. He put down the phone and turned to the man he had tied up.

"Alright, pal. Either you start talking or I start water boarding." He growled. To his surprise, the man in the chair began to panic.

"Oh, my God. Please don't hurt me. Please! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" Dean frowned. Okay, so he wasn't dealing with a malicious creature of the underworld. Who the hell was this guy?

"Hey, pull it together, champ." He said, leaning forward and patting him on the shoulder.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die." The man begged with wide eyes. Dean only just managed not to roll his eyes. His grip on the man's shoulder grew tighter.

"Where's Sam?" He demanded and the man slumped, ducking his head.

"In my friend's basement. His parents are out of town." He admitted. Dean took a second to play his words over in his head.

"Parents?" He repeated and the man nodded. He narrowed his eyes. "How old are you?" The man looked a little embarrassed.

"Seventeen." He said and Dean gave him a curious look. He wasn't quite sure whether to be angry or impressed.

"Seventeen?" He echoed, and again, Not-Sam nodded. "Huh." He said thoughtfully. Before he could ask any more questions, Dean suddenly went flying backwards and slammed into the wall. He fell, knocking over glass and a table lamp with a tremendous crash. When Dean didn't get up again, Gary turned fearfully to see his friend Nora standing there. He frowned, what was she doing here?

"Nora?" The girl walked towards him slowly, a sickening smile on her face. She bent down, her face uncomfortably close to his and her eyes turned black.

"Not at the moment." She replied.

* * *

Just after lunch, Lee was sitting on the library sofa painting her nails. Samandriel was sat next to her, as usual, and was watching her closely, as usual. It hadn't yet occurred to Lee that the way the angel followed her around like a baby duck had any significance. He needed someone to help him out with human stuff and she was his friend, it was as simple as that. But to Samandriel, not only was Lee his guide, but she was his mystery. Every time he saw her, spoke to her, touched her, something expanded in his chest and made him want to smile. He didn't yet know what this feeling was or what it meant, all he knew was that he liked it very much. And so, he always made sure to be near her, just so he might experience that warm glow again. Adelaide padded into the library, chewing on her lip.

"I've been trying to call Sam for ages, do you think he's okay?" She asked her friends. She wasn't going to start worrying about them just yet, they _were_ fully functioning adults. But what troubled her was that Dean and Sam, the latter especially, always answered her calls. What were they doing that meant they couldn't answer the phone? And why was a simple, run of the mill hunt taking them so long? Lee shrugged, turning back to her pot of red nail varnish.

"I'm sure they're fine. Have you tried Dean?" Adelaide nodded, tapping her phone against the palm of her other hand. Lee noticed and knew that when Adelaide got worried, she got fidgety. Obviously, her friend was a lot more anxious than she was letting on.

"Three times, still no answer." Lee glanced at Samandriel who was also beginning to look concerned. It _was_ strange that the boys weren't answering their phones, but how much trouble could they possibly have got themselves into in such a short space of time? Thankfully, at that moment, Bobby decided to wheel himself into the library. Lee sat up, determined to get to the bottom of the situation.

"Bobby, we were just saying, we can't get hold of the guys." She told the older hunter. To her surprise, Singer looked nearly as anxious as her friends.

"Me neither." He told them, waving his mobile at them for emphasis. He thought for a moment before noticing their worried expressions. "Wipe those sorry looks off your faces. I'm sure they're fine." He said sternly and like soldiers, they dropped their shoulders and raised their chins. Samandriel noticed the now blank looks on their faces and wondered how they covered up their true feelings so easily. Adelaide was still curious about the brothers and tried to be the voice of reason.

"But if they were fine, they'd pick up their phones." She supposed, making Lee laugh.

"You sound like their mother." She commented, not noticing Bobby tense slightly. Adelaide raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I'm sure their mum would be beside herself with worry." She replied. "Perhaps we should get her on the phone to give them good talking to. _If_ they would pick up." She snorted. She stopped laughing when she noticed the stony expression on Bobby's face. Her lips parted, glancing nervously at Lee who had also noticed the hunter's shift in mood. "Was that not good?" She asked awkwardly. Singer met her gaze but didn't respond for a moment.

"Just keep calling them." He said eventually, and his tone was far darker than she'd ever heard it. They sat in silence, watching Bobby wheel himself into the kitchen. Once he was out of the room, Adelaide ducked her head. She didn't know anything about the Winchester family apart from that it wasn't a happy story. She should've known their parents were a sore spot.

"Shit." She swore under her breath, but not so quietly that Samandriel didn't catch it. She noticed him wince and raised a hand apologetically. "Sorry! Sorry, mate."

* * *

Lost. Completely lost. Geographically and mentally. His wound was agonising, his vessel was exhausted, on the brink of shutting down. Gabriel knew it probably shouldn't hurt this much. In fact, he shouldn't be hurt at all. He hadn't felt pain in a long time and even then, certainly never like this. He had hoped that it wouldn't be as bad as he remembered. No such luck. He carefully peeled his hand away from the gaping hole in his stomach to inspect the damage done and immediately wished he hadn't. His grace, everything that he was, all of his _angelness_, was beaming out of the wound, a pure, white glow of heavenly power. Angelness. That sounded like something Adelaide would say. He wondered if he'd ever see her again.

Gabriel squared his shoulders, immediately pulling himself together. That thought scared him more than anything. He wasn't going to let this be the thing that killed him. But it hurt so much. He weakly pressed the palm of his hand back against the wound and winced as the pain increased then settled down to a dull throb. He was so very tired, part of him didn't want to even attempt flying. But he had to. He had to get somewhere safe, somewhere he knew he'd be protected. Well, there was only one place he could go and, more importantly, only one person he wanted to be with.

* * *

Dean was still on the floor, unconscious. Gary watched the man guiltily as he was untied by his friend. No, not his friend. A demon.

"Boy, you earned your dessert tonight, kiddo." She said in a husky voice. She finished untying him and leaned over his shoulder, her wide eyes staring into his. "Tell me, what is it you want? Anything." Gary began to smile nervously.

"Anything?" The demon stood in front of him and he pulled off the ropes keeping him tied to the chair.

"Lay it on me." She smirked. Gary began to smile properly as he stood from the chair.

"I want to be a witch. For real. And really powerful." He told her and the demon possessing his friend nodded approvingly.

"Mm. Good choice." She said. She turned away from him as she continued, "I get it. No daddy, no M.I.T. No plan." She spat. She looked down at the hunter on the floor, feeling pleased with herself. Oh, her boss was going to be very happy. "You get to be big and strong, and no one can tell you what to do anymore." She looked up again and turned around to face the human child. "There's just one small formality first." She told him, tilting her head this way and that eerily. She smirked again and began to walk towards the boy. "You gotta meet the boss." Gary was confused.

"The boss?" He asked and Not-Nora stopped, standing uncomfortably close to him.

"You know, your Satanic majesty, or whatever the kids are calling it these days." She said quickly. She wanted to be out of this meat suit and collecting her reward as soon as possible. Dealing with stupid human teenagers was exhausting. Gary paused for a moment.

"The devil?" He asked reproachfully and the demon nodded. He looked down at the floor, a shiver running down his spine. Playing around with witches and demons was one thing, but the devil? This was all too much. "Uh... No. Okay. Um, it's okay. I... don't really want to bother him." He tried, but the demon nodded her head, pursing her lips.

"Oh, but he's gonna wanna meet you." Gary still wasn't convinced. The demon smiled easily. "Relax. It'll be easy." She reassured him. "He's just gonna ask you one little question, and all you got to do is say 'yes'." She could see he was close to being convinced, so she brought in the big guns. "And then, you get your reward." That seemed to do it. Stupid greedy humans. Always wanting more, more, more. Not-Nora's eyes suddenly widened as she heard footsteps behind her. Dean had woken up and was swinging at the demon with his knife. She span around and easily caught his arm, throwing him to the ground. She kicked him repeatedly, using all of her strength. Through the immense pain, Dean looked up and briefly locked eyes with whoever was inside his brother. He silently begged him to do something, to help him. Gary swallowed and took a deep breath, then he began to chant.

"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus-" The demon immediately stopped kicking the Winchester and span around to face Gary so quickly it surprised the boy.

"What was that?" She hissed. Gary had never been so scared in his life.

"Uh, nothing." He squeaked unconvincingly. The demon bared her teeth and stormed towards him.

"Were you trying exorcise me?!" She kicked a chair out of the way and reached for him. "You little piece of crap!" She roared as she grabbed the boy by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Gary tried to push her hand away but she was too strong. Dean managed to struggle to his feet, his lip split open, his abdomen screaming.

"Spiritus, omnis satanica potestas." He groaned. The demon released Gary, ready to attack Dean again but the teenager began to smile.

"Omnis incursio infernalis adversii." The demon stopped in her tracks, unable to move any further. It was too late, the spell had begun to work.

"Omnis congregatio."

"Et secta diabolica."

"Ergo, draco maledicte."

"Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire." The demon looked from Dean to Gary with pure unadulterated rage and hate in her eyes. She screamed at them, begging them to stop. But it was too late.

"Te rogamus. Adios, bitch!" Dean cried triumphantly. There was a pause and Gary raised a hand.

"Uh, it's 'audi nos'." He corrected the hunter. Before Dean could react, the demon's head was thrown back and she screamed as a torrent of thick, acrid smoke poured from her mouth. Dean winced and tried to relieve some of the pain he was feeling, but Gary couldn't tear his eyes away. The smoke exited through a vent in the wall and Nora fell to the ground.

* * *

Lee had officially run out of things to do. She'd read practically every book in Bobby's possession, she'd attempted straightening her hair with somewhat disastrous consequences, and she'd just finished unpacking properly. She had exhausted all her usual ways to kill boredom. Now she was playing Tetris on her phone and finally understanding how agitated Adelaide got when she wasn't hunting anything. She had reached a new low.

It was dark outside now, but that was common for Sioux Falls at this time of year (something she'd researched whilst trying to stave of the boredom). Samandriel was sat beside her still, but his body was turned so that he could see out of the wide library window. He was studying the stars, something he'd read about in one of Bobby's books and was trying to locate some of the constellations he had learned about, when he saw something that shocked him.

"That star's moving." He said suddenly. Without looking up from her phone, Lee shook her head.

"Aeroplane." She called back lazily. The stillness of the room was interrupted by Adelaide suddenly running in from upstairs.

"I got through to Dean!" She cried excitedly. Lee and Samandriel both jumped at her sudden appearance but quickly grew excited when they realised what she'd said.

"About time!" Lee said happily. "What did he say?" Adelaide grinned, still on a high from the relief of finally getting in touch with the boys.

"You would not believe the day they've had." She breathed as she sat down on the coffee table in front of them. "Some kid thought it would be a good idea to swap bodies with Sam for a couple of days." Lee nearly choked, her eyes flying wide.

"What?" She cried, a grin spreading itself across her lips despite the severity of the situation. Adelaide nodded excitedly. This was the most interesting thing that had happened to her in the last two days and she was determined to bleed it dry.

"I know, right? Apparently, there was this whole demon/teenager deal going on." She paused then shook her head, sighing wearily. "You know what, it's far too late in the evening to be explaining it now." She decided. Samandriel looked relieved as he turned around in his seat and sat down properly.

"So they're okay?" He checked. Adelaide smiled at the angel.

"They're fine, they're just dropping the kid off now." She reassured him. Lee let herself sink into the soft sofa, her head falling back onto the cushions.

"Bloody hell." She breathed, not only out of relief but surprise at the whole story. She noticed Samandriel wince and patted his knee apologetically. "Sorry." She mouthed and he nodded, smiling at her gratefully. Adelaide left soon after that, telling them she was going to take a nap upstairs before dinner. Lee was about to go join her when Samandriel suddenly stood up and grabbed her gently by the arms. "Woah!" She cried, staring up at the angel with wide eyes. "Are you okay, mate?" But Samandriel didn't reply. He was looking over her shoulder at something, a look of excitement on his handsome features.

"Shh! Do you hear that?" Lee frowned and looked around the room blankly.

"Hear what?" She began to ask, but Samandriel put a finger to his lips and shushed her again. Normally, Lee would've been extremely annoyed at this and the shusher in question would have one or two black eyes and a broken nose. But this time it was different. It was Samandriel, and she knew that he either didn't understand that what he was doing was considered quite rude, or he had an extremely good reason for it. Out of the corner of her eye, Lee saw a bright, white flash of light outside and Samandriel immediately threw out his arm and pointed at the window. "There." He whispered. Lee hadn't noticed the rain beginning to tap tap tap at the old glass, but the angel seemed completely enraptured.

"Lightning?" She wondered, her frown still in place. She didn't understand why the angel was making such a big deal of the weather. Samandriel was watching the phenomenon unfolding outside with such amazement that Lee thought she must be missing something. Samandriel raised a finger, his eyes still on the rain, and began to count.

"One… Two…" He breathed, and Lee finally realised what he was doing, also turning her head to look out the window. "Three… Four…" Before he could count any higher, there was a rumble thunder, so loud they thought it might split the sky. Samandriel grabbed her hand and Lee looked back at him in surprise. "Don't you just love the sound of thunder?" He murmured excitedly and Lee couldn't help but smile at his delight. He squeezed her hand as more lightning flashed. "You can feel it go right through you." He said as they continued to watch the rain.

After a few minutes, Lee left the angel in the library and went in search of her friend who she found upstairs on her bed. She was sitting up, leaning against the headboard with her laptop on her knees. She looked up when Lee burst in but couldn't stop her partner from falling onto the bed, groaning in frustration. Adelaide rolled her eyes, she was used to this kind of thing and went back to her laptop.

"What?" She sighed, shaking her head wearily. Lee groaned again but didn't move from her position, the top of her body flung over the side of the bed, her legs splayed over the other.

"He was excited about thunder." She said, but her words were muffled by the duvet she had her face pressed into. Adelaide sighed again, knowing exactly who she was talking about, and didn't take her eyes away from her research into a possible vampire nest the next state over. "And d'you know what the worst thing is?" Lee continued.

"Go on then."

"His bloody face." She cried miserably. "Any time you do something nice for him, or- Not even something nice, just something normal like holding the door for him or warning him to watch his step or thanking him or anything like that," She jabbered despondently. "He makes this absolutely heart-breaking face, like he can't believe that someone would do something nice for him for no reason." Adelaide sighed once more and closed her laptop lid. She reached across and patted her friend's head fondly, knowing that there really was nothing she could do to help her.

* * *

It was late by the time the Impala pulled up outside Gary's house and it had just started to rain. Typical, thought Gary as he stared at his house. Sam and Gary, now back in their respective bodies, Nora, now demon-free and Dean, almost completely recovered from his beating, got out of the old car.

"Crap." Gary groaned as he realised how much trouble he was going to be in. Sam sighed and slammed his car door closed.

"Gary, take it from someone who knows," He began, and Dean and Nora stopped on their way to the house to look back at them "Chin up, man. Your life ain't that bad." Sam told the teenager plainly. But Gary scoffed.

"Uh, you met my parents." He retorted. Sam shrugged.

"Yeah. So what?" He replied, not ready to take anymore crap today. "It's your life. You don't like their plan for you, tell them to cram it. Rebel a little bit." He raised a hand. "In a healthy, non-Satanic way, of course." Gary laughed and looked down at his feet, then at Nora who stood on the other side of the car. Sam noticed and waved at the girl. She waved back. Nora was a sweet girl, nothing like the demon that had possessed her. Sam turned back to the boy and raised his eyebrows. "By the way, you know why Nora's into witchcraft?" Gary shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Sam rolled his eyes.

"She doesn't like Satan, you moron. She likes _you_." Gary pulled his head back, his face all scrunched up with surprise and confusion.

"Really?" He said, then a little quieter. "You think?"

"Yeah, I know." Sam said honestly. Then he shook his head. "I'm telling you, kid. I wish I had your life." Dean looked confused but Gary's pale face lit up with happiness.

"You do?" Sam shrugged his shoulders and Gary grinned. "Thanks." The kid looked down at the ground, obviously feeling a lot better about himself and his life. Sam nodded to the house.

"Get out of here." He said and the teenager walked away. Sam patted him on the back as he went past and the two brothers watched as Gary and Nora headed for the house. Dean looked back at his brother, a small smile on his lips.

"That was a nice thing to say." He said and Sam shrugged.

"I totally lied." He admitted. "That kid's life sucked ass." Dean stared at his brother as he got back in the car, then after a moment of stunned silence, he joined him. "All that apple pie, family crap? It's stressful. Trust me, we didn't miss a damn thing." Sighed Sam. Dean tilted his head to the side.

"Or we don't know what we're missing." He supposed, making Sam feel a little sad. But then Dean turned on the old car's engine and 'Rock And Roll Never Forgets' began to blare out of the speakers. Sam sighed again.

"Oh, come on, man. Turn it down." He moaned. Dean looked at his brother for a second before sadly turning the music down. Well, at least he had his brother back.

"Welcome back, Kotter." He mumbled before pulling out of the driveway and roaring off into the night, heading for home.

* * *

The library was, frankly, a mess. Two days of two messy girls stuck indoors with only books to read didn't make for a tidy household. Bobby had seen the mess they'd made and raised an eyebrow, then he'd muttered something about cleaning it up before the boys got home. It was bad enough that there were six of them living under his roof, he didn't need the place to looking even more like a pigsty than it usually did. After a few minutes of grumbling, putting books back onto shelves and collecting the _many_ empty mugs dotted around the room, Adelaide heard the sound of wings beating by the kitchen. She looked up and was surprised to see Gabriel standing there. From across the room, she noticed he looked a little dishevelled, but not the weakness of his body or the positioning of his hand over his stomach.

"Hello, stranger." She said, smiling kindly at the archangel. "Where've you been all day?" Gabriel smirked at her and leaned against the door frame, taking the weight off his tired body.

"Did you miss me?" He asked cheekily, trying not to grimace as another bout of pain shot through him. Adelaide didn't notice the slight quaver in his voice as she continued to tidy the room.

"A little." She admitted, grinning to herself. "Where've you been?" Gabriel rolled his eyes and laughed a little.

"I do have a life outside of you bunch of misfits." He said, making Lee snort. "You're not the centre of my universe, you know." He stepped into the room, his hand still pressing into his wound, both relieving some of the pain and hiding it from the hunters. "So you were worried about me, were you?" He said directly to Adelaide. The woman frowned at him incredulously.

"What? No." She said, perhaps a little too quickly. Lee raised her eyebrows and turned to the angel.

"She was a bit." She corrected her friend. Adelaide looked betrayed but shook it off, trying to look cross instead.

"I'm not your bloody mother. I don't need to know where you are 24/7." She muttered, trying hard to be angry with them but failing miserably. In truth, she was glad to see him. And perhaps, she could admit to herself, she had been a little worried about him. Gabriel took a step closer, watching them tidy instead of actually helping.

"C'mon, you know you were beside yourself with worry." He teased. But then the pain in his side doubled, suddenly becoming unbearable. He gasped for breath, the pain making it hard to breathe. He grabbed for the arm of the sofa, his fingers gripping the leather tightly until his knuckles turned pale.

"Don't be so…" Adelaide turned around and saw the archangel doubled over. She frowned, starting to get a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Gabriel?" She asked softly. She gasped when the angel let out a sharp yell of pain and fell to his knees. "Gabriel!" She cried, immediately flying to his side. She took him by the shoulders and carefully leaned him up against the sofa, kneeling before him. That's when she saw the large, open wound in his stomach. Gabriel looked up and saw her wide, terrified eyes.

"Gorgeous, it's okay." He said quickly, knowing that she would start to panic.

"What happened? Who did this?" She breathed, starting to feel sick. By this time, Lee was crouching next to him, carefully inspecting his injury. It was deep and wide, but what frightened her the most was the strange ethereal glow that seeped out of the wound. That was when the fear really started to set in. She knew enough about angels to work out that the strange glow was Gabriel's grace. Someone had done this to him, someone who knew exactly how to hurt him. He must've been stabbed by an angel blade, there was nothing else she knew of that could do this kind of damage. She explained her thoughts to Adelaide, which only made her look even more terrified. Gabriel noticed how quickly she was unravelling and knew he had to calm her down.

"Gorgeous-" He tried but Adelaide was babbling in her panic.

"I'll call Sam and Dean. They should be here soon, but- No, I'll-"

"Lady-"

"Bobby. I'll get Bobby, he'll know what to-"

"Adelaide." He said firmly. The hunter immediately stopped talking. He so rarely used her name, it was shock to hear it, especially in her frightened state. The archangel smiled weakly up at her, managing to find some joy in the situation when he realised she had grabbed his hand. "I'm okay. I'm okay, I promise." He said softly and despite how hard her heart was hammering in her chest, his words calmed her down enough for her to listen. "I just need you to…"

"Gabriel." She whimpered, her fear quickly turning into distress. The archangel's smile grew slightly. He didn't want her to worry about him when there was nothing to worry about, but her dark blue eyes were wide and frightened, her lips parted, her hair a mess. She was so damn beautiful.

"I just need to lie down." He told her quietly and she quickly nodded.

"We'll put him on my bed." She said to Lee, who nodded and quickly set about wrapping the angel's arms around their shoulders. They called for Samandriel and he immediately appeared. After quickly explaining the situation, the angel agreed that rest would be the best thing for him. He grabbed Lee's free hand, touched Adelaide's upper arm and flew them upstairs. "I've got you, I've got you." Adelaide assured Gabriel as they gently lowered him onto the bed.

He groaned and let his head fall back onto the cushions, his eyes screwed shut. Adelaide stood over him, her throat tight. "Please, Gabriel, tell me what to do." She pleaded. She was so scared. Her friend, her angel, was in pain, so close to death. And she was useless. She didn't know what to do. There was nothing she hated more than being helpless. When the angel didn't answer her, didn't even open his eyes, Adelaide began to panic again. "Gabe?" She breathed, putting her hand on the side of his face. "Gabe!" The archangel placed a hand over the one on his cheek and stroked his thumb over her skin soothingly.

"Adelaide, it's okay." He told her, finally opening his amber eyes. Despite the intense pain of his injury, he smiled a little. She had called him Gabe. He would have to remember to tease her about that later. Adelaide felt her throat constrict at the heaviness of his voice and yet he still smiled up at her, trying to reassure her that everything was going to be okay. "It's cool, sweetheart. I just need to rest." He said, his eyes beginning to close again. Adelaide nodded, glancing at Samandriel and Lee, who thankfully looked just as panicked as she felt.

"Okay. I'll stay with you." She told the archangel, although she wasn't sure if he heard her. His eyes were closed now, but he was still breathing. The only thing keeping her calm was his warm hand still resting on top of hers. He was going to be fine, he'd said so himself. He's going to be fine, he has to be. He has to be okay. Adelaide turned her head from the archangel and shouted for the only person who might know what to do. "Bobby!"


	12. Chapter 12

The first thing Gabriel noticed when he woke was that he was somewhere he recognised._ Alright_. The second thing he noticed was that he was lying on something extremely comfortable._ Interesting_. And the third thing he noticed was that his stomach wasn't screaming in pain. _Yes, good_. He cracked an uncertain eye open and blinked a few times to clear his hazy vision. After a moment, he could see Dean standing over him, an irritated look on his face.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." He called loudly, purposefully trying to aggravate the angel. It worked. Gabriel closed his eyes again and groaned. Right, Bobby Singer's house, Adelaide and Lee's room. How long had he been asleep? Did sleeping always feel like this? Humans are tougher than they look if they can put up with this every morning.

Adelaide stood a little way back and watched the archangel closely, just as she had done for the last couple of days. She'd taken it upon herself to watch over him, making sure that Gabriel would never wake up alone. She hugged herself anxiously, her arms wrapped tight around her middle. She glanced over her shoulder at Sam who was standing by the door and he gave her a reassuring smile. She returned it and looked back to the archangel. Gabriel reached up a hand, finding his body very stiff and non-compliant, and rubbed his tired eyes.

"And there was me thinking I'd have a beautiful woman standing by my bedside when I woke up." He croaked, making Dean roll his eyes. Adelaide walked up next to the hunter and sat down on the edge of her bed. Gabriel opened his eyes again and beamed when he saw her. "Ah, there she is." Adelaide gave a huff of laughter and smiled down at the angel.

"How're you feeling?" She asked softly. Gabriel rested his hands on his chest and readjusted his head on the pillow.

"Much, much better." He assured her, then he raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least I think I am." He leaned on his elbows and pulled up the front of his shirt. Adelaide was briefly gifted with the sight of Gabriel's stomach as he checked his wound. She could admit to herself that she had wondered what he looked like under all those layers, but that didn't stop the heat rising in her cheeks as she quickly took in what little was on show. Gabriel, completely unaware of her wandering gaze, was just thankful that his injury was completely healed. He pulled his shirt back down and looked up just in time to see Adelaide look away, not wanting to be caught staring. "Yessir, completely healed." He said, a grin starting to grow on his face as he noticed her pink hue. He winked at her. "Just like magic."

"So, you're okay?" Dean asked, saving Adelaide from anymore embarrassment. Gabriel was surprised at the hunter's question.

"Yes, I'm okay." He replied. Adelaide spoke again and his golden eyes flicked down to her.

"It's just you've been out for two days." She said, and he could see behind her poker face that she had been a lot more concerned about him than she would care to admit.

"Two days?" He echoed and Adelaide nodded. He raised his eyebrows at her and smirked. "Wow, I bet you were worried sick." He teased, making the hunter scoff and look away.

"Yeah, beside ourselves." Dean said abruptly, making both Adelaide and the archangel look around. "Now you're awake, you can tell us what happened to you." The hunter's mouth was drawn into a thin line to match his severe tone as he glared at the angel. The air in the room suddenly grew tense as the hunter and the archangel stared back at each other icily.

"Dean." Adelaide said carefully as she rose from her seat on the bed. "Why don't you and Sam go help Bobby downstairs?" She suggested. The eldest Winchester began to argue.

"But-"

"Dean, c'mon." Sam interrupted him. Dean looked like he might continue to fight them, but eventually he sighed and turned to leave, his brother close behind him. Adelaide let out a relieved sigh as the door clicked shut. She turned back to Gabriel when he spoke.

"Thanks." He said earnestly and Adelaide gave him a faint smile in return. "And thank you for what you did." The hunter snorted and sat back down on the bed.

"I'm pretty sure you did all the work, I just panicked a bit." She said, beginning to smile. Gabriel laughed and sat up properly, moving to sit beside her.

"You didn't freak out as much as I thought you would." He told her and the hunter lowered her eyebrows.

"Thanks, I think." She said quietly. They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the hunters and the one angel move about downstairs. The last time they sat like this, Adelaide still felt wary of the archangel. A lot had changed since then. Adelside hardly left Gabriel's bedside whilst he recuperated. She worried about her friend constantly. Yes, things had certainly changed. Gabriel broke the companionable silence when he suddenly remembered something.

"Hey." Adelaide looked around at him and he smiled brightly. "You called me Gabe." Adelaide tried not to smile, but found she couldn't help herself.

"You called me Adelaide." She countered. They smiled at each other for a moment before she dropped her eyes, beginning to grow embarrassed under the archangel's endearing gaze. After a moment, she worked up enough courage to ask what they'd all been thinking for the past two days. "Can you… Can you tell me what happened, or..?" She asked carefully. Gabriel's warm expression turned sour and he dropped his gaze to the floor. He remained silent, and Adelaide thought for a moment that he wasn't going to answer her. She was about to apologise when Gabriel finally spoke.

"The angels." He said darkly. "They know I'm alive." Adelaide's eyes widened, her lips parted in an 'o' of surprise.

"What? How?" Gabriel nervously clasped his hands together, his fingers interlocking.

"They've been watching Sam and Dean a lot closer than I thought. They know I'm helping them." He told her. "I was ambushed. Then one thing led to another..." Adelaide couldn't believe what she was hearing. Angels attacking other angels? And Gabriel, he was powerful, much more powerful than any foot soldier. Who could be brave enough, or rather stupid enough, to take him on?

"Gabriel." She breathed, her mind turning to the implications of his actions. They had attacked him because he was helping them. The thought sent a chill up her spine.

"They thought it was wrong that I've sided with the vessels. They thought... They thought it was wrong that I'm... Protecting you guys. That I've chosen you over them." He said quietly, confirming her suspicions. He looked up at her then, his eyes finally meeting hers. "And I have... Chosen you over them." He told her, and Adelaide felt her heartbeat quicken.

"Gabriel, you don't have to stay." She told him urgently, and she found her voice had fallen to a whisper. "You don't have to help us, not if it's endangering your life."

"But I want to help you." He said firmly. Adelaide's mouth opened to reply but she just didn't know what to say. Gabriel saw her struggling and continued his confession. "The thing is, I've grown attached to you idiots." He laughed, although it came out much more forced than he intended. He looked up at her again, more sincere than she had ever seen him. "I care about you." He told her softly. Adelaide's lips parted, but no sound came out. Gabriel awkwardly cleared his throat and quickly continued. "But it's not just me who's in danger, it's Samandriel too." He added. "We need to protect him, the guy's never done a bad thing in his life-"

"Gabriel." She stopped him, placing her hand over his. Gabriel's easy going expression fell and he looked down at his lap. Adelaide brushed her thumb over the back of his hand and gave him a rare, genuine smile. "We care about you too." She said softly. Well, the look she was giving him, coupled with that gorgeous smile and her hand on his, damn near gave Gabriel a heart attack. But he smiled back all the same and placed his free hand on top of hers, squeezing it gratefully. They sat in silence for another few moments before Gabriel tilted his head to one side.

"So, do I get a sponge bath, or..?" He asked and Adelaide groaned. The moment was gone, the stillness broken, and Gabriel was still Gabriel.

"You're such a prat." She muttered as she stood up and walked to the door. Gabriel called after her apologetically, starting to laugh at her annoyed expression, but she slammed the door closed behind her. Adelaide hid her pleased grin behind her hair as she climbed downstairs, skipping every other step.

She was glad that he was alright, glad that he could still joke and tease after what he'd been through. But they weren't out of the woods yet. The angels knew where they were, knew that Gabriel was on their side. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. When she entered the library, she was immediately bombarded with questions that she either answered vaguely or avoided altogether. She quickly decided not to reveal to the Winchesters what Gabriel had told her in confidence. It would only worry them and they'd most likely harass Gabriel with more questions. They'd just have to push on and focus on their next move.

* * *

"Where are we going again?" Lee asked in a bored voice. Adelaide glanced across at her and saw her friend's feet were up on the dashboard.

"I don't know, I'm just following the guys." She replied before she swiped at Lee's legs, her eyes still on the road. Lee gave an annoyed grunt but put her feet down on the floor all the same. The old Capri was Adelaide's pride and joy, a gift from her parents after she'd passed her driver's test. Lee sometimes thought her partner loved the car more than she loved her.

"Can I sit in the front next time?" Asked Samandriel, poking his head through the gap in the seats and almost making Adelaide jump. Lee glanced over her shoulder at him and frowned.

"But this is where I sit." She stated, being deliberately obtuse. Samandriel narrowed his eyes at her.

"You don't own the seat." He countered and Lee shrugged her shoulders.

"I do a bit." She replied and Samandriel gaped at her, like he couldn't understand why she was being so unfair. He turned his head to the other hunter.

"Adelaide, does Amelia Lee own that seat?" He asked and Adelaide's eyes widened, she hadn't counted on being brought into their paltry argument.

"Uh…"

"Of course I don't own it, but this is my seat." Lee continued matter-of-factly, saving Adelaide from having to answer. As the pair continued to childishly argue, Adelaide's phone began to buzz. She grabbed it from its home in the cup holder and saw it was Dean calling her.

"Thank God you rang." She breathed gratefully. She could practically hear Dean's confused expression.

"Why, what's happening?" He asked her. Adelaide groaned and glanced at her bickering passengers.

"The lovebirds are fighting over who should get shotgun." She muttered wearily. Across the line, Dean began to laugh.

"Bet that's fun." He said unsympathetically. Adelaide looked back at her friends.

"Now you're changing the terms of the argument." Lee was saying.

"The amount of times you've sat in the seat doesn't mean you own it."

"It helps." Lee said simply and she grinned at the angel's bewildered expression. It was clear to Adelaide that her partner was only doing this to wind him up.

"That makes no sense!" Samandriel cried and Lee began to laugh before she shot back another argument. Adelaide turned back to her and Dean's conversation.

"I'm close to breaking point." She admitted, making Dean chuckle again.

"Hang on in there." He said unhelpfully. Then he remembered why he'd called in the first place. "Oh, just to warn you, we're pulling in at the next motel." Adelaide frowned and expertly flicked up her indicator to change lanes.

"Why did we have to travel all the way out here?" She asked him.

"Cas wanted it to be on the lowdown." He explained. "He's worried about how close the angels are getting to us, especially with what happened to Gabriel." Images of Gabriel and his injury flashed into her mind and her gut twisted sickeningly.

"Don't remind me." She muttered before she said her goodbyes and ended the call.

* * *

In the motel room, Castiel was drawing a symbol in chalk on a table as the four hunters and Samandriel watched on. Adelaide and Lee were sat on the desk that housed a small TV, Samandriel sitting between them on a chair. Sam sat on one of the beds, his fingers interlocked anxiously while his brother paced the room.

"Really? Anna?" Dean said gruffly. He shook his head slightly, looking away from the angel. "I don't believe it."

"It's true." Replied Castiel, still drawing on the coffee table. Adelaide and Lee were admittedly a little confused. Who was Anna and why did she hate the brothers so much? Dean sighed and drummed his fingers against the side of his leg.

"So she's gone all Glenn Close, huh? That's awesome." He muttered. Castiel finished his symbol and looked up at the older brother.

"Who's Glenn Close?" He asked and Dean shook his head as he turned and walked back to stand nearer his brother.

"No one, just this psycho bitch who likes to boil rabbits." He explained vaguely, making Lee smile. Samandriel looked up at her, his eyes wide and full of concern and she quickly explained that it was just a film. He visibly relaxed whilst Adelaide shook her head despairingly.

"Who's Anna?" She spoke up, feeling a little annoyed at being so out of the loop. Dean was suddenly reminded of how little Adelaide and Lee knew about their chaotic lives. They really should try harder to explain everything to them.

"An angel." He replied and Adelaide raised her eyebrows.

"And she wants to kill you?" She asked Sam, who nodded.

"Yeah." Adelaide gave a bark of scornful laughter and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are any angels nice?" She grumbled to no one in particular. She barely managed to hold back a smile when Samandriel raised his hand. "Apart from you, sweetheart." She assured him. This hadn't been what the angel had meant, but he looked a little pleased with himself all the same.

"Gabriel?" He suggested democratically. Adelaide scoffed and leaned back against the wall, shifting her shoulders to get more comfortable. She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning her head back too. She was shattered, she didn't feel like arguing.

"Gabriel's a muppet." She remarked groggily. Dean smirked and crossed his arms.

"You didn't seem to think that when you were all teary-eyed over him yesterday." He teased. Adelaide raised her head again and sent him a murderous glare.

"I wasn't teary-eyed." She shot back hotly. "I was concerned about the well-being of my friend." She looked around at the unconvinced expressions on her companions' faces and grunted in annoyance. "I'm going for a kip." She muttered as she got up from her seat and sulkily went to have a lie down on one of the beds. Dean sighed again at the hunter's childish attitude but didn't try to argue with her. He knew that Adelaide hadn't slept well for the law few days, most likely because of Gabriel. He hadn't gotten around to teasing her about that yet.

"Anyway," Sam picked up the conversation again. "The plan to kill me, would it actually stop Satan?" Dean immediately began to argue.

"No, Sam, come on." Lee watched on nervously and couldn't help but wonder how Adelaide planned to sleep while this was going on. Sam glanced at his brother then back to the angel.

"Cas, what do you think? Does Anna have a point?" Dean chewed his lip and also looked to Castiel. He watched them both for a moment and Lee suddenly understood why her partner had nicknamed him 'The Sad-Eyed Angel'.

"No." He said finally, after a pause that wasn't exactly reassuring. "She's, uh, Glenn Close." That was when Lee zoned out. She had tried to pay attention, she really had, but listening to the guys arguing wasn't top of her priorities list. She was worried about Adelaide, who had fallen asleep almost instantly on the bed across from her. And then there was Lucifer, who she felt like they'd all forgotten about. Things kept coming up, like this angel, Anna. It felt like they had everyone after them. When she finally started to pay attention again, the Winchesters and Castiel, with help from Samandriel, still sat by her knees, had decided something drastic. Wait, what? They were going back in time?

"They're our mom and dad. If we can save them, and not just from Anna... I mean if we can set things right, we have to try." Dean was saying. But Castiel, despite his friend's determination, shook his head. He was silent for a moment, and Lee thought for sure that he would continue to argue with the brothers, but eventually he heaved a resigned sigh.

"Then we'll need more help." He decided. He looked at them all in turn. "Gabriel."

* * *

"Adelaide?" The hunter groaned and turned over on the bed, turning her back on whoever it was that had the nerve to wake her up.

"What?" She moaned, shielding her closed eyes from the bright sunlight streaming through a window on the far wall. Sam rolled his eyes at her unfriendly demeanour.

"We need you to call Gabriel." He told her. They'd let her sleep for a little while, but now they needed to take action. He heard Adelaide groan again. Obviously, that wasn't a good enough reason to wake her.

"Why can't _you_ call him?" She mumbled back, her voice muffled behind her pillow.

"We have, he's not listening." She heard Dean call from across the room somewhere. Adelaide rolled over onto her back and looked up at Sam groggily.

"Yeah, well, he's an archangel in hiding. He's not just gonna pop up because you asked nicely." She told the tall man standing over her. She turned her head to Dean. "He's not Cas who'll do whatever you ask because he fancies you." She heard Dean groan exhaustedly

"Would you just do it?" He called back. Adelaide sighed, looking back to Sam.

"Why me?" She griped. "Get Lee."

"Because he listens to you. He likes you." Sam said earnestly. Adelaide looked at him for a moment before taking a deep breath, seemingly coming to a decision about something. She turned her head to the ceiling and closed her eyes, grasping her hands together in prayer.

"Ugh. Gabriel, would you please do us the great honour of getting that cute butt of yours off your cloud and paying us a visit? Bugs and Daffy want to have a word." She added grumpily. Dean was about to retort when a flutter of wings and a familiar drawl interrupted him. The boys turned and saw Gabriel standing across the room, his arms spread wide. He was smiling cheekily and he winked at them.

"Ask and you shall receive." He joked, making Sam roll his eyes. Dean stepped towards the angel with a frown on his face.

"Oh, great, so why was the hotline busy when we called?" He asked furiously. Gabriel gave him a faint smile and shrugged his shoulders, his hands dug into his pockets.

"You're not Adelaide." He told him quietly. Dean and Sam both looked at each other, surprised and confused. Adelaide, hidden from view, only laughed as she struggled up off the bed and walked out from behind the brothers.

"Oh, so romantic. I think I may swoon." She said sarcastically. Gabriel jumped, his hands flying out of his pockets and his back straightening.

"Adelaide!" He hadn't known she was in the room and felt embarrassed about his little confession. 'You're not Adelaide.' He quickly berated himself for how stupid he'd been. He returned his focus back to the conversation and found Adelaide looking at him strangely. He realised what he'd said and quickly tried to cover up. "I mean, hey, gorgeous." He said, giving her a wink and a smirk. Good, that sounded much more like his usual self. "You're looking especially glamorous this afternoon. I love that 'just-been-pulled-through-a-hedge-backwards' look. Very sexy. Very now." He grinned. "I think I saw Kate Moss wearing the exact same thing in Vogue last-"

"Okay, okay, angel boy, I get it." Adelaide muttered, waving him off with one hand. Gabriel breathed a silent sigh of relief when she didn't press the matter of his little outburst any further. "But you know, you're not looking too hot either." She defended herself as she walked to the bathroom. They could hear her grumbling as she staggered into the next room. "Bloody men, waking me up when they know I didn't get much sleep and now bloody angels bursting in, telling me I look..." Gabriel watched her leave, a fond smile on his face. He looked back to Dean and raised his eyebrows.

"Quite the charmer, ain't she?" He said and Dean nodded as the door slammed behind her.

"Oh, she's a dream."

It was quickly decided that Sam, Dean and Adelaide would travel back in time, assisted by the two angels, whilst Lee and Samandriel held the fort in the present day. Castiel finished packing a bag full of all they would need to catch Anna and looked up at the trio standing in front of him.

"Ready?" He inquired, looking nervous himself. Sam took the bag from Castiel and swung it up onto his shoulder.

"Not really." He replied truthfully. Adelaide smirked and Dean looked over his shoulder at the two of them.

"Bend your knees." He warned them. Adelaide waved quickly to Lee, who was standing back a safe distance with her angel by her side. She saw her wave back before Gabriel reached up and gently touched his fingertips to her forehead.

* * *

There was a blinding flash of light and suddenly, they were standing in the middle of the road. Adelaide sucked in a deep breath, her hands flying to her head as pain bloomed in her skull. The hunters staggered backwards on unsteady legs and looked around blearily. Where they really here? Had they made it? All of a sudden, a loud horn honked and a car squealed to a halt only inches from them. This quickly knocked the hunters from their stupor.

"Get out of the street!" A driver roared, and they did just that. The trio hurried to the pavement and were nearly hit by another car on the way. They eventually made it to safety between two parked cars, Sam giving an awkward, apologetic wave to the driver of the second car. They looked around them, take deep breaths to calm their frazzled nerves. Travelling via angel was already bad enough, but the headache Adelaide was getting from being pushed back through time was a whole new level of pain, and frankly, so far, it didn't feel worth it.

"Did we make it?" Sam asked. His brother pointed at one of the cars they were huddling between then scanned the area.

"Unless they're bringing Pintos back into production, I, uh, I'd say yes." He replied. Then something caught his eye. Adelaide followed his gaze and gasped when she saw what he had spotted. Castiel was collapsed against the car to their left, a trickle of blood seeping from his nose. Gabriel stood over him, quickly checking him over. In the confusion, she had almost forgotten about their pilots. Sam spotted them too and his expression fell.

"Cas?" They hurried over to the two angels and the Winchesters crouched down by Castiel. Gabriel stepped back to give them space and was glad to find Adelaide close by his side.

"Are you okay?" He murmured to her. Adelaide nodded but didn't say anything, her dark blue eyes trained on the injured angel.

"Take it easy. Take it easy." Dean was saying, his hand on Cas' shoulder. "Are you alright?" The angel nodded weakly, but he didn't meet their eyes.

"I'm fine. I'm much better than I expected." He told them gruffly, but to Adelaide, his skin looked far too pale for someone who was 'fine'. The brothers tried to help Castiel to his feet, but the angel doubled over and spat blood onto the pavement. Everyone immediately leapt forward to help when Cas' body went limp.

"Cas?" Sam barked. He put his hand in front of the angel's mouth and gave a short sigh of relief. "He's breathing. Sort of." He told his wide-eyed companions. "What do we do?"

* * *

"So, gorgeous, you ready?" Samandriel tilted his head to the side, watching Lee as she slammed the Capri's boot shut, her bags stored safely inside.

"For what?" He asked her. Lee pouted her lips, feigning innocence.

"Well, I was thinking, what with them lot off doing their thing, we could, I don't know…" Her face broke out into a grin and she held the car keys aloft, jangling them enticingly. "Go on our own hunt." Samandriel's eyes were like saucers and Lee had to laugh at his excited expression.

"Really?" He asked happily and Lee nodded. She knew how much the angel wanted to go on another hunt, especially with all the studying he'd been doing. But hunting wasn't just about reading books, and if he wanted to help them in the long run, he had to have some practical experience. Plus, the completely elated look on Samandriel's face was absolutely priceless.

"Yeah, it'll be fun." She said, playing it cool. Then she paused and rethought her sentence with a careless shrug. "Well, it'll be dangerous and a bit scary, but mostly fun." The angel beamed at her from across the hood of the old car, like he couldn't believe how kind she was being.

"Thank you, Amelia Lee." He said with a sincere nod, his pale blue eyes bright and alive with excitement. Lee felt her legs go all wobbly but acted expertly nonchalant.

"No problem, buddy." She said, brushing off his thanks, though it secretly made her heart pound. "But, you know what the best part is?" When the angel shook his head, she grinned wolfishly and patted the roof of the car. "You get to ride shotgun." Samandriel gasped delightedly and immediately vanished then reappeared in the passenger seat of the car. Lee laughed loudly as she swung open her door and slid into the driver's seat.

* * *

Outside of the Prairie Court Motel, Sam ripped a page from the phone book he'd found in a pay phone as he waited for his brother. Dean stepped out of the motel, followed closely by Adelaide, a pair of dark sunglasses shading her eyes from the bright, 1978 sunshine. As they approached Sam, a couple walked past, the man sporting frankly ridiculous facial hair. Sam snorted as they reached him and he jerked his head towards the two strangers.

"I mean, the moustaches alone..." He joked, making Adelaide smile.

"So, I paid for Cas for five nights up in the, uh, honeymoon suite." Dean explained to his brother. "I told the manager, 'Do not disturb, no matter what.' You know what he said to me? 'Yeah. Don't sweat it. Want to buy some dope?'" Sam snorted and rolled his eyes. "Dope." Dean echoed in an appalled tone. Then an idea hit him. "We ought to stick around here, buy some stock in Microsoft." Sam rolled his eyes. Trust his brother to think of a get-rich-quick scheme while they were on a very serious and potentially life-threatening hunt.

"Yeah, we might have to if Cas doesn't recover." He said, bringing the tone back down again and making Adelaide's gut twist with worry. Sam looked between them, his expression solemn now. "Is he alright?" Dean shrugged, trying to act a lot less concerned than he actually was.

"What do I look like? Dr. Angel, Medicine Woman?" He muttered inarticulately. Sam shot Adelaide a tired look and she returned the sentiment with an eye roll. "He'll wake up. He's, you know, tough for a little nerdy dude with wings." Sam nodded and thought back to Anna, the reason they were all here.

"If he landed like that, hopefully so did Anna. Should buy us some time." He hypothesised.

"Hopefully." Repeated Adelaide bitterly. She didn't like this at all. It was bad enough being at the eye of a heavenly storm, but time travel was definitely a biggie on her list of things she'd never wanted to get tangled up in and certainly never expected to have to deal with. The trio looked around when they heard wings flap. Gabriel stood next to Adelaide, his hands dug into his pockets.

"He'll be fine, guys, he just needs to recharge." He said, and Adelaide was reminded of what he'd said to her about needing rest after being stabbed by the shard of angel blade. "I'll stay and look after him." Sam frowned.

"But what if we need you when we find Anna?" He questioned and the archangel shrugged.

"Just give me a call." He said, smiling easily. Adelaide thought perhaps his relaxed body language was a cover up for how worried he was about his little brother, but she daren't voice these thoughts, especially in front of the Winchesters.

Gabriel and Adelaide stayed by each other, leaning up against the side of a tall, redbrick building, just watching this new world go by. The brothers went off to figure out what they would do next but Lady wasn't really interested. She would just follow their plan and improvise when necessary. Right now, there were far more pressing and interesting matters to attend to. Like how she had just travelled back in time. Adelaide tried to keep that nerdy bubble of excitement down as she watched the 1970s go by. She hadn't even been born yet here. She wondered momentarily what her mother and father were doing right at this moment, halfway across the globe. Before she could put anymore thought into it, Gabriel had an idea.

"Hey, give me your number?" He suddenly said. Adelaide raised her eyebrows at the angel on her right, feeling she needed a little more information.

"What?" Gabriel rolled his eyes at her and clicked his fingers, her phone appearing in his hand.

"Your cell number, in case of emergencies." He said, waving the device in front of her face. Adelaide gasped and her hand flew to her pocket where her phone had been a moment ago. She tutted angrily when she realised he really had taken her phone.

"What emergencies?" She grumbled as she snatched it back from him. Gabriel shrugged as he stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, not put off by her indignant attitude.

"I don't know, fire, murder, heart attack." He listed off lamely. Adelaide frowned at him, as if he'd just said something completely stupid.

"Then why would I call you? Surely I should be calling 911?" She questioned him and Gabriel sighed dramatically.

"Those were just- You know what, forget that, just give me your cell." He muttered, waving one hand about flippantly. Adelaide gave him a curious look he didn't quite understand before she began to recite the number to him. He grinned and clicked his fingers again, his own phone appearing in his hand. He quickly typed in her number and snapped the phone shut again. "Awesome." He said, letting her know he was finished. Adelaide chuckled, shaking her head at the archangel.

"I didn't even know you had a mobile." She said thoughtfully and Gabriel gave her a look.

"Of course I do." He said, as if it were obvious. Adelaide frowned again.

"What for?"

"_Emergencies_." He pressed, which seemed to amuse the hunter enormously. Gabriel watched her throw her head back and laugh, her smile wide and bright, and found himself beginning to smile just from watching her. Adelaide sighed, trying to catch her breath and looked away from the angel.

"You know, mobiles haven't been invented yet. I won't be able to call you." She reminded him. Gabriel made a noncommittal grunt and shrugged his shoulders.

"We've just travelled back in time, I'm an ancient celestial being, and you hunt monsters for a living." He shrugged again, finding he couldn't erase his smile even if he wanted to. "Anachronisms are nowhere near as strange as half the things that'll happen to us today." Adelaide scoffed and looked away from him, but had to admit he had a point.

She turned her head when something caught her eye. Dean was waving at her from down the street. Adelaide sighed and pushed herself away from the wall. Part of her wished she could stay with Gabriel. He helped her forget how scary her life had become. Every moment she spent with him, laughing, joking, flirting, was a moment she wasn't thinking about the Apocalypse and the horrors it entailed. But she knew it was selfish to think like that, so she dutifully followed after the Winchesters. Gabriel stayed put, leaning back against the building comfortably.

"See you around, doll." He called, making Adelaide groan. Another ridiculous nickname. She looked over her shoulder at him, planning to throw back an insult or two, but she felt a pang of worry when she realised she didn't know when she would see the archangel next. Her anxieties were quickly put to rest when Gabriel gave her a cheery wave and a wink before vanishing into thin air. Adelaide chuckled to herself and joined the Winchesters who were discussing which way would be best to commandeer a vehicle.

* * *

Samandriel stared at Lee as if she'd grown a second head.

"Vampires?" He repeated and Lee nodded, not taking her eyes off the road.

"Yep." She said carelessly, not seeing the look on the angel's face. Samandriel sat back in his seat, repeating his friend's words over and over in his head. He couldn't believe it. He must have misunderstood. He turned to her as much as he could in his seat and stared at her again.

"_Vampires_." He pressed, making sure that neither of them would mishear each other. Lee frowned and glanced at the angel in the seat next to her.

"Yes." She said firmly, switching her gaze between the road and Samandriel, who was looking at her strangely. Samandriel started to grin widely and sat back in his prized seat, which was just as fun and comfortable as he'd thought it would be. Humans had made countless mistakes, but cars, even though they weren't exactly frontrunners in preserving his father's Earth, were pretty cool.

"Wow." He breathed. He'd only heard about vampires in stories or from the humans he was staying with. He'd never seen one, only the crude pencil drawings in Bobby's books. Safe to say, he was a little excited. Being a low-ranking angel meant that he didn't get to see much of the Earth and all its creatures. After staying with the Winchesters, Adelaide and Amelia Lee, he'd experienced more of this planet than he'd ever done in all his life in Heaven. "Okay, where?" Lee flicked up the indicator to tell the driver behind her she was switching lanes and tried not to wince as she turned the wheel. She hated driving in this country. It felt odd driving on the right, but she could handle it.

"The next state over, but it won't take long to get there." She mumbled, concentrating on the man in the car next to her who was driving a little too close for comfort. Samandriel nodded, his eyes flicking over the many buttons and dials in front of him. It had taken him seconds to work out which button turned on the radio and only a few more to find a station he enjoyed.

"Vampires." He murmured to himself, still not quite believing how lucky he was. "How do we kill them?"

"I think there's only a couple, probably been kicked out of the nest." Lee assured him. She didn't like the idea of taking down a whole family with just the two of them, what with Samandriel never having even seen one before. "Beheading usually does the trick." She saw the angel pull a face and she gave him a sympathetic smile. "Sorry, it's not a glamorous job." He nodded and shrugged, telling her that he didn't mind at all. After a moment, he looked up at her and smiled sweetly.

"Thank you, again." He said, but Lee rolled her eyes.

"You have to stop thanking me." She sighed tiredly. Samandriel tilted his head to one side, his smile slowly growing into a grin.

"But I'm grateful for all that you've done for me." He protested innocently. Lee huffed and looked at him for a moment.

"Tell you what," She decided. "Every time you feel like thanking me, just smile." Samandriel lowered his eyebrows and looked down at his shoes contemplatively.

"Smile?" He asked quietly. "Is that going to be enough?" Lee chuckled and nodded her head.

"It's more than enough, sweetheart." She assured him kindly. Samandriel seemed to perk up then and beamed across at her.

"Okay." They were silent for a minute until Samandriel remembered something he'd been meaning to ask her for a while. "Why do you always call me names?" Lee frowned, her mouth falling open, appalled at his accusation.

"When have I ever called you names?" She replied, her pitch rising in shock. Samandriel wasn't sure why she was reacting like this, he hadn't said anything wrong, had he?

"Just now, you called me 'sweetheart'." He explained and Lee physically relaxed, her agape mouth sliding into a smile, her eyes closing with relief.

"Oh, I thought you meant I was being mean to you." She breathed, letting out a nervous laugh. She looked across at the angel and smiled at him widely. "I call you sweetheart because you have a sweet heart." Samandriel's face brightened at her words and he opened his mouth to thank her, but remembered what they had decided. So instead, he simply smiled brightly back at her. Lee looked away, smiling crookedly. God help me, she thought.


	13. Chapter 13

The old blue banger pulled up across the street from 485 Robintree Road with a squeal of brakes and a jolt that nearly sent Adelaide through the windscreen. The thee hunters quickly got out of the borrowed car and crossed the road to the house they were looking for. As they walked up the darkened driveway, Adelaide noticed the Impala, almost brand new, sitting proudly by the curb. She gave the car a small smile as she walked past. Sam took the lead, practically jogging up to the house before Dean stopped him.

"Sam. Sam. Wait, wait, wait, wait." His brother stopped, his face drawn in confusion as the older Winchester caught up with him.

"Dean, Anna could be here any second." Sam hissed and his brother shook his head.

"What exactly are we gonna march up there and tell 'em?" He shot back, but Sam didn't seem perturbed.

"Uh, the truth." He said as if it were obvious. Adelaide couldn't hold back her snort at how ridiculous that sounded. Dean shot her a look and she was succinctly reminded that this was a family matter and really, it was none of her business

"What, that their sons are back from the future to save them from an angel gone Terminator?" Dean shook his head. "Come on. Those movies haven't even come out yet." Adelaide couldn't help but think he going off topic but she didn't say anything.

"Well, then tell her demons are after 'em. I mean, she thinks you're a hunter, right?" Said Sam reasonably, but Dean still wasn't convinced.

"Yeah, a hunter who disappeared right when her dad died. She's gonna love me." He added bitterly. They were silent as Dean thought for a moment, before he finally came to a decision. "Just follow my lead." He said to his two partners as he headed past Sam to the house. He knocked a jaunty rhythm on the painted front door and waited with baited breath. The Winchesters and Adelaide felt their heartbeats increase when they heard footsteps approaching. The door was swung open by a beautiful young woman, seeming to be bathed in the warm light pouring out of the open door. Dean's throat was dry as he smiled queasily at his mother.

"Hi, Mary." Adelaide's heart sank as she watched the blonde woman shake her head, her skin growing pale.

"You can't be here." She said quietly. She looked so frightened, like a deer caught in the headlights.

"I'm sorry if this is a bad time." Dean joked, not seeming to realise how upset his mother was.

"You don't understand. I'm not-" She glanced at Sam, who was staring at her as if awestruck. Adelaide thought she saw tears start to shine in his eyes and she realised that this must be the first time he'd ever seen his mother. He had only been a baby, just six months old, when she had been killed. "I don't do that anymore." She said in a hushed voice, glancing back to Dean. She hadn't even noticed Adelaide, who was stood behind the brothers. "I have a normal life now. You have to go." Mary moved to close the door, but Dean held his arm out to stop her.

"I'm sorry, but this is important, okay?" He said, his tone much quieter and graver now. Adelaide spotted movement over Mary's shoulder and nudged the oldest Winchester.

"Dean." She warned him and he looked up to see a man coming to the door. He had dark hair and kind eyes, and Adelaide couldn't help but think the boys looked very much like him. John Winchester cleared his throat and the door swung open a little wider.

"Sorry, sweetie, they're just..." Mary began but soon faltered, not sure how to continue.

"Mary's cousins." Dean stepped in, smiling widely at John. Their father raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at each of them in turn.

"All of you?" He asked, and Adelaide awkwardly shook her head.

"Oh, no, not me. I'm, um, I'm just a friend." She fumbled, and she found she didn't quite know where to look. Mary gave them a tight smile as her husband wrapped an arms around her shoulders.

"Yeah, we couldn't stop through town without swinging by and saying 'hey', now, could we?" Dean continued, whilst Sam stood back and let his brother take the wheel. He couldn't stop staring at them. These young, smiling, happy people were his parents. This wasn't how he'd imagined it would be at all. Dean held out his hand for John to shake. "Dean." He introduced himself.

"You look familiar." Said John and Adelaide held her breath.

"Really?" Dean glanced at Mary who was looking panicked. "Yeah, you do too actually, you know? We must have met sometime." He grinned, feeling a little proud of himself for all of the quick thinking he was doing tonight. "Small towns, right? Got to love 'em." He added nervously with another glance at his mother. John nodded happily and turned to Sam.

"I'm John." He greeted him, holding out his hand to the taller man. Sam stared at him for a moment, tears brimming in his eyes. He found he couldn't speak, but he took John's hand all the same.

"This is Sam." Dean introduced them, casting a sideways glance up at his brother. "And this is Adelaide." She gave John a little wave, but he seemed more interested in Sam. He grinned, pleasantly surprised.

"Sam." He repeated, smiling brightly at the boys. "Uh, Mary's father was a Sam." The youngest Winchester smiled thinly and nodded.

"Uh, it's a- It's a family name." Dean answered for him. John frowned at Sam when he realised he hadn't yet let go of his hand.

"You okay, pal? You look a little spooked." He said slowly. Sam paused, as if waking from a daydream before dropping his father's hand.

"Oh. Oh, yeah. Just a... Long trip." He managed, making Adelaide smile a little at the inside joke.

"Well, Sam and Dean were just on their way out." Mary told her husband with thinly veiled hostility, but John frowned.

"What? They just got here." He said, turning back to the brothers with a welcoming smile. "Real happy to meet folks from Mary's side. Please, come on in for a beer." Dean tried to ignore the murderous look on his mother's face and smiled at John.

"Twist my arm." He laughed as he stepped through the door.

* * *

Lee opened the boot of the car and leaned inside, dragging her bag to the front. Samandriel glanced at his friend, his gaze lingering on her behind before he quickly averted his gaze. He felt his face start to grow hot, but he wasn't sure why, and it wasn't as if he could ask Lee. He looked back up at her, feeling guilty, when she began to speak to him, watching as she unzipped the large duffel and began to paw her way through its contents. They were parked down the street from where the vampires had been attacking people, a long, dank alleyway between a nightclub and an Indian takeaway.

"Vampires, pretty easy to deal with. You saw what we did with Flenderson, right?" Samandriel nodded, recalling the way they had poured salt over what was left of the miner and then set light to it.

"I remember." He told her. Lee grinned as she sorted through the guns. She had thought about giving him his own weapon, but then quickly decided against it. He wasn't ready for that kind of thing yet, soldier or not. And anyway, he was an angel, he was a far more powerful weapon than any of the ones at her disposal.

"Of course you do, 'cause you're smart." She replied proudly, sliding her favourite into the inside pocket of her large jacket. "Way smarter than I am." She added, a little quieter. Samandriel frowned.

"That's not true." He said. Lee was one of the smartest people he'd ever met. Granted, he hadn't met that many people, but she was certainly intelligent. Why would she say such a thing about herself?

"It is a bit." Lee called back, her voice slightly muffled as she stuck her head back into the car boot. She straightened up and began to check her emergency gun. "I'm a bit useless, really." Samandriel only grew more confused.

"What do you mean?" Lee shrugged as she handed him a knife to hold. She hadn't noticed his worried look.

"I'm just… Rubbish, really." She said lamely. Samandriel eyed the knife warily for a moment before looking back at his friend, his mouth twisted in concern. "I'm just me. Just Lee." She continued, taking the knife back and sliding it into a sheath that rested by her hip. She was speaking from the heart, expressing sentiments she had never voiced to anyone before. But she spoke to lightly, so matter-of-factly. It made Samandriel's stomach clench. "Never been especially good at anything, no talents, no achievements. I just sailed through, really. Not important, not interesting, not worth anything." She turned around and jumped when she found Samandriel was stood right in front of her. His bright blue eyes were so sorrowful and so expressive, she could hardly look away.

"You're not boring." He stated firmly. "You're not useless. You're not nothing." This was the closet they had ever been, so close that Lee was pretty sure she could see the faint freckles on his skin. And what he was saying, no one had ever said anything like that to her before. "You're everything. To a lot of people. To me." He told her, and he meant it, he truly did. It pained him to think that she would ever doubt or depreciate herself when she was so impossibly exceptional. "God has a plan for everyone. Every life, happy or sad, is important." He said, his voice dropping to a murmur as he continued to gaze at her. "You're important, Amelia Lee." He tilted his head to the side and the corners of his mouth lifted into a minuscule smile. "Okay?" He checked. Lee thought her heart might burst from her chest, but she managed a watery smile in return.

"Okay." She said, even though her throat was tight. Samandriel nodded and smiled properly then, seemingly back to his usual goofy self.

"Good." He said happily. Lee smiled back at him and was about to continue stocking up for the hunt, but she suddenly found she couldn't hold herself back any longer. She stepped forward and tightly wrapped her arms around the angel, her hands splayed on his back. Samandriel's eyes widened in surprised, not expecting the expression of gratitude. But he raised his arms and hugged her back, his chin resting on top of her head. He felt quite proud of himself, his first hug executed with expert precision. After a moment, Lee pulled away and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Right, well, as I was saying, vampires are a bit trickier than salting and burning, but you catch on quick so, um…" She pretended to fiddle with the knife at her hip so that she could sort out her red face before she looked back to him, seemingly back to her usual self. It wasn't often she let herself get so emotional. Oh, if her parents could see her now. "You ready?" She asked. When he nodded confidently, she gave him an excited grin. "Alright then." And with that, they began to make their way down the road.

* * *

Sam couldn't stop staring at Mary. Never, in all his life, had he ever thought he would get the chance to see her again. And Dean was right, she was beautiful. Although, right now, she looked visibly uncomfortable. Probably because he had been gawking at her for so long. Unfortunately, John had noticed too, and his concerned question broke the awkward silence in the living room.

"Are you sure you're okay, Sam?" The younger Winchester flinched and finally looked away from his mother.

"Wh- Oh. Yeah, yeah. Um, I'm just, um…" He shook his head in disbelief. "You are so beautiful." He told Mary, beginning to stare at her again. John leaned forward protectively in his chair but Dean quickly intervened.

"He means that in a- A non-weird, wholesome, family kind of a way." John and Mary were sat in two armchairs opposite their children, who were sitting on a long sofa. John had offered Adelaide his chair but she had declined, choosing instead to sit the wrong way round on a dining room chair, her forearms on the top of its back, her chin resting on top. She really wanted to stay out of the Winchesters' way. It was awkward enough with just the four of them, but add her into the mess and more complications could arise. "We haven't seen Mary in- In quite some time, and… See, she's the spitting image of our mom. I mean, it's- It's…"

"Eerie." Sam finished for him. Dean shot him a look but didn't say anything more. John chose to ignore whatever was going on between the brothers and his wife and instead started to get to know them a little more.

"So, how are you guys related?" Sam rubbed his hands together nervously, looking everywhere but at John. Mary shot Dean a sharp look and he floundered before answering his father.

"You know, uh, distantly." He said vaguely, but it seemed to be enough for John.

"Oh. So you knew Mary's parents?" He said sadly. Dean was on safer ground here and his nerves began to settle.

"Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Mary's dad was, uh, pretty much like a grandpa to us." He said, and Adelaide snorted. When the four Winchesters looked at her, she quickly tried to disguise her amusement behind a series of fake sounding coughs that made Dean roll his eyes. He chanced a look at Mary who looked absolutely livid. John sent Sam a sad smile that he returned faintly.

"Oh. That was tragic. That heart attack." Said John as he reached over and placed a hand over Mary's comfortingly. She smiled at her husband but gave Dean a look out of the corner of her eye that made his heart stop. She'd had to lie about everything, even her parents' deaths. He knew what it felt like to live a life of secrets, but he couldn't imagine hiding everything about himself from someone he was that close to.

"Yes, it was." He murmured.

"So, uh, what are you guys doing in town, anyway?" John asked, trying to lighten the mood. Dean shrugged.

"Uh, business, you know." John looked interested and he smiled at the pair.

"Oh, yeah? What line of work?" The brothers both answered simultaneously.

"Plumbing."

"Scrap metal." Adelaide winced at the rookie mistake but thankfully, Mary stood up suddenly.

"Oh, gosh. It's almost seven. I hate to be rude, but I've got to get dinner ready." She said, trying to act as civil as possible in front of her husband. John frowned up at her.

"Maybe they could stay?"

"I'm sure they have to leave." She answered quickly, glaring at Dean. The phone began to ring in the kitchen and they all looked around at the sudden noise. John sighed and turned back to the boys.

"Uh, look, please stay. You know, it would mean a lot to me. I haven't met much of Mary's side of the family." He said before standing up to answer the phone. On his way past, he offered Adelaide a kind smile that she returned before she jumped from her chair to stand next to her friends.

"You have to leave. Now." Mary hissed, glaring at each of them in turn.

"Okay, just listen-" Dean tried to explain, but Mary cut him off.

"No, you listen. Last time I saw you, a demon killed my parents." Dean looked down at his shoes guiltily. She had every right not to trust them. "Now you waltz in here like you're family? Whatever you want, no. Leave me alone."

"You and John are in danger." Sam murmured, trying to keep their conversation as quiet as possible so that John wouldn't hear them from the kitchen. God knows what would happen if he found out about his wife's past. Mary visibly froze, beginning to look nervous.

"What are you talking about?" She whispered, glancing between the brothers.

"Something's coming for you." Dean answered. Immediately, Mary looked afraid.

"Demon?" She asked, her mind turning to the events of that terrible night when she'd last had to deal with such a monster. Dean shook his head.

"Not exactly."

"Well, what, then?"

"It's kind of hard to explain, okay? It's- It's-" He looked to Adelaide for help but she shook her head.

"Don't look at me, this is your thing." She told him sharply. Dean was about to argue when Sam interrupted.

"An angel." The other hunters glared at him. They had decided not to tell her what exactly was going on, she'd be safer that way. But Mary only laughed incredulously.

"What? There's no such thing."

"I wish. But they're twice as strong as demons. And bigger dicks." Dean said gravely. Sam saw Adelaide smirk out of the corner of his eye and tutted under his breath.

"Don't laugh at that." He hissed to her and her expression turned serious again.

"Why would an angel want to kill us?" Mary asked slowly, still not quite believing what they were telling her. Dean sighed, they were wasting valuable time.

"It's a long story, and we'll tell you the whole thing, but right now, you've got to trust us and we gotta go." When Mary still didn't look convinced, he leaned in close and lowered his voice even further. "Look at my face and tell me if I'm lying to you." Mary's mouth was hanging open with disbelief and it was clear from her wide eyes that she was afraid. But she found that she trusted the strange man, whoever he really was. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, not quite believing that she was going along with this.

"Okay. Where do we go?" Dean only allowed himself a second of relief before he was relaying their fragmented plan.

"Out of here. We got to move now, though." Mary nodded but glanced nervously at the kitchen where her husband was still on the phone.

"Okay. But what do I tell John?"

"Just tell him-" Dean paused and looked around. In the silence of the living room, no sound could be heard coming from the kitchen. "John?" Dean asked cautiously. Adelaide frowned. Surely John must have just finished on the phone and gone into another room. But still, Dean looked nervous. He led the way into the hallway, Sam, Lady and Mary close behind him. John was nowhere to be found. Adelaide's skin began to prickle, her heart beginning to pick up its pace. She heard a quiet gasp and turned to see Mary taking down a notepad off the wall by the phone. A message had been scribbled there for her. _Back in 15- J_. Adelaide turned her wide eyes to the brothers.

"Oh, bugger."

* * *

They drove like hell, so fast Adelaide thought the tarmac might burn the rubber off the stolen car's tyres. Anna, the angel, she had John. If she killed him then Sam and Dean would cease to exist. They couldn't let that happen. Next to her in the back seat, Mary was breathing heavily, her doe eyes wide, but she didn't seem frightened. Adelaide realised that the woman's hunter instincts must not have left her, as much as she would've liked a quiet life without them. They reached the garage where John worked in record time. As soon as Dean squealed to a stop, Mary jumped out, sprinting into the building to save her husband.

"Mary, stop!" Sam yelled after her, only just starting to get out of the car. Adelaide heard Dean swear as he slammed his car door shut before they were tearing off after her. They quickly devised a plan, Sam and Adelaide splitting off one way and Dean the other. The parallels of the situation and the first time they had met Lucifer were lost on Adelaide as she and Sam began to set their trap. As she and Sam worked, she looked around to check on her friends and saw Anna send Dean flying out of a window, the shattered glass bouncing on the cold, concrete floor. Now that her attention was diverted, Mary seized her chance. She picked up the angel-killing blade that Dean had dropped and twirled it around in her fingers, getting a better grip before she advanced. John Winchester groaned and looked up, just in time to see his wife swinging for the woman who had attacked him. She fought expertly, like she'd been doing it all her life. Mary slashed at Anna but only managed to cut her hand. She grunted and swung again but the woman ducked under her blow and vanished. Mary faltered and looked around to find the angel had appeared behind her. She tried to strike the woman but Anna caught her elbow.

"I'm sorry." She murmured. This confused Mary, but she didn't have time to think about it for long, because Anna suddenly flung her backwards into the windshield of a nearby car. Mary groaned and tried to crawl over the car and away from the angel who was slowly advancing. She slid off the bonnet and stumbled to a workbench. With her back to Anna, she grabbed a crowbar and suddenly turned around and drove it into her chest. The angel looked down at the metal bar, her lips blood-stained and her skin pale, but nothing happened. Mary's heart began to hammer in her chest as the angel locked eyes with her and slowly pulled out the crowbar, dropping it to the floor. "Sorry." She said again, but this time, there was no remorse in her voice. "It's not that easy to kill an angel."

"No." Said a new voice, and the women both looked around to see Sam standing next to a crudely drawn angel-banishing sigil, his palm bloody, Adelaide beside him. "But you can distract 'em." He said, then pressed his palm against the sigil. It burned a bright gold and Anna disappeared in a flash of light. Mary looked down at the spot where the angel had just been standing, trying to get her breath back. Her gaze eventually met John's and she found he was staring at her as if he'd never seen her before.

* * *

The Impala, much newer and shinier than the one Adelaide was acquainted with, sped along the road, perhaps a little too fast. John was driving and he was mad. Like, _really_ mad. Sam and Dean were sat in the back seats just like when they were kids and Adelaide was wedged between them uncomfortably.

"Monsters." John said finally, the first words he'd spoken since they'd left the auto repair shop. "_Monsters_?" Mary sighed exasperatedly.

"Yes." She told him, really not in the mood to have this conversation.

"Monsters are real." John reiterated and Mary let her head fall back against her headrest.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know how-"

"And you fight them? All of you?" John asked, looking back at his passengers in the rear-view mirror.

"Yeah." Sam said sadly. John looked back to the road and was silent for a moment. Adelaide was worried about Mary. They'd waltzed in and uprooted her life without warning and now they were running from a celestial being who was trying to kill them. That definitely warranted some kind of apology.

"How long?" John asked eventually. Mary didn't want to tell him, she didn't want to drag him into the crazy world she had escaped. But it was too late now.

"All my life. John, just try to understand." Mary turned in her seat to face her husband, but found that words failed her when she caught his gaze, if only for a second.

"She didn't exactly have a choice." Sam piped up from the back seat, trying to help his mother out, but John suddenly snapped.

"Shut up, all of you!" He yelled, surprising them all with his uncharacteristic temper. "Look, not another word, or so help me, I will turn this car around!" Silence fell in the car but Adelaide hoped that she wasn't the only one who found John's words amusing. She glanced at Dean and he turned his head a little to murmur to her and his brother.

"Wow. Awkward family road trip." He said and Sam snorted.

"No kidding." He muttered in reply. Adelaide hid her grin from the Winchesters by looking out of Sam's window.

"Gabriel would love this," She said quietly. Sam and Dean both chuckled softly, not wanting to anger their parents anymore. A few minutes later, the old car rolled up outside a relatively ordinary looking house. Mary's family owned the place, but it looked like no one had been inside for years. They all piled out of the car, still following John's order and remaining silent. The five figures walked to the house and entered without a word. Adelaide sent one last wary look over her shoulder before she too stepped inside.


	14. Chapter 14

Mary led the way inside, flipping on the light switch as she passed it. The five of them stood in silence as they took in the old house. Nobody had been there for years, that much was obvious. Dust coated every surface, the floorboards creaked worryingly, and there was a sharp tang of mould. Adelaide resisted the urge to cough as the musty air scratched her throat.

"Place has been in the family for years." Mary told them, walking through the house. They followed her through to what used to be a living room, although now the room was bare apart from a table and a round rug. Mary peeled the rug back, sending up a cloud of dust. "Devil's trap." She showed them, pointing out the sigil with the toe of her boot. "Pure iron fixtures, of course." She flicked on another light switch, and they could get a proper look at what they had to work with. Adelaide glanced at John out of the corner of her eye and saw that he still looked furious. She tried not to think about it too much, there were far more important things to focus on. "Um, there should be salt and holy water in the pantry, knives, guns…"

"All that stuff will do is piss it off." Sam told her, and Mary lost her confidence a little.

"So, what will kill it? Or slow it down, at least?" She asked, hands on her hips. Adelaide felt for Mary, she really did. She'd been in her position not too long ago. She hadn't known a single thing about angels and it had been terrifying.

"Not much." Sam admitted, giving her a faint smile. Mary gave a scornful laugh, it echoed through the empty house.

"Great." She muttered, turning away from them. Dean walked forward and dumped his heavy bag down on the table.

"He said not much, not nothing." He patted the duffel bag and smiled slightly. "We packed." He began to rummage through it and Adelaide caught a glimpse of a few particularly interesting weapons before she left them to it. While they brought out the sigils and other anti-angel tricks, she decided to take a look around. She walked through a dining room, the long table and its chairs covered by tarp. Next was the kitchen, then a downstairs bedroom. Nothing out of the ordinary. She made sure the back door was bolted even though she knew a simple lock couldn't stop an angel. She ventured upstairs but found the creaking old house a little too spooky and quickly went back down again.

Now Adelaide had a feel for the place, she could relax a little. She liked to know where all the exits were, it was useful in her line of work. She went to join her partners again, but she stopped in the dining room. Something made her pull out her phone. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to talk to Gabriel. Perhaps she was just scaring herself, but there was something about the house that set her on edge. Maybe it was because it was someone else's home and she shouldn't be there, or perhaps it was just the emptiness that was freaking her out. She sent him a quick text to tell him where they were. She felt quiet stupid after she had, there was no way for her mobile phone to work in this time period but it was mere seconds before she got a reply.

_Cas is still out for the count, but he's getting there. I'll be with you real soon, darling._

Gabriel must have done something to make the signal work. She rolled her eyes at his words, but even she couldn't deny the way her heart thumped a little harder. She hadn't told him how she was feeling, but he seemed to pick up that she was anxious. She tried to reason with herself. Gabriel knew that the angels were after them, he could easily have guessed that she was feeling anxious. It didn't mean anything. Then she wondered why she was debating with herself over nothing. She grunted and shoved the phone back into her pocket before re-joining her friends. When she got back to the living room, it was only John and Dean left. She stopped in the doorway when she saw John pick up a knife and unsheathe it. Without a word, he sliced open his left palm.

"So, how big?" He asked Dean, who was beginning to smile. He must have been asking about the angel banishing sigil, Adelaide decided. She watched as Dean nodded his head.

"I'll show you." He told him, then he laughed a bit. John looked confused.

"What?" Dean studied him for a moment before shaking his head, still smiling slightly.

"All of a sudden, you... You really remind me of my dad." He said, making Adelaide smile. As he turned to leave, he spotted her in the doorway and gestured for her to follow them.

They quickly showed John how to draw the symbol then left him to it. He didn't seem in the mood for talking yet, he was still taking everything in. But Adelaide admired how quickly he had accepted all the information, even though he didn't completely understand it. Next they set about creating the traps, just in case any angel got too close. Adelaide chose a doorway then began to pour the holy oil. Mary took it from her when she was finished, and she texted Gabriel again.

_We're setting the traps now, you might want to keep your distance._

A minute later, she got a reply.

_Nothing could keep me away from you, gorgeous. _

She snorted loudly, making Mary look up.

"Sorry, it's just..." Adelaide began, gesturing uselessly with her phone. Mary looked between Adelaide and the foreign device in her hand uncertainly. "Never mind." She finished, and Mary went back to her trap. She was about to text Gabriel back when Dean entered the room. She made to tell him Cas' status but Mary got there faster.

"Okay. You said you'd explain everything when we had a minute." She said to him, using what Adelaide could only describe as a 'mum voice'. "We have a minute. Why does an angel want me dead?" Adelaide watched from the corner of the room as Dean shrugged.

"'Cause they're dicks." He tried to play dumb, but Mary wasn't having any of it. She gave a bitter laugh and kept up her hard gaze.

"Not good enough. I didn't even know they existed, and now I'm a target?" Dean sighed, this really wasn't the time to be explaining everything.

"It's complicated." He said, which was true. Mary clenched her jaw and stood up straight, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Fine. All ears." There was a pause wherein the air felt heavy with tension. Finally Dean sighed again and glanced at Adelaide. She instantly knew what decision he'd made and nodded.

"I'll… Just give you two a minute." She said quietly before hurrying out of the room. She went into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. She wasn't handling this well, she hadn't taken a moment to process. A powerful angel was coming for them, and she was terrifically hard to stop. Their biggest defence was currently taking care of their second biggest defence, who was out of action. Her best friend was forty years in the future and her companions were in the middle of an eccentric family drama. She'd never felt so alone. Adelaide took a deep breath then slowly let it out again. This helped slow her nervous heart, but the terrible feeling of unease was back. Her skin prickled with goosebumps, but she wasn't cold. It was akin to the feeling of being watched, but there was no one in the room with her. Unless, she thought, they were outside. She suddenly heard voices in the living room and hurried back in. It was John, he looked frightened.

"Hey, we got a problem." He told them. "Those blood things, the sigils, they're gone." Adelaide's heart rate began to quicken again. Perhaps her strange feeling hadn't been so ridiculous after all.

"Gone as in..?" Sam raised his eyebrows. He too looked a little scared. John's eyes were wide as he pointed across the room.

"I drew one on the back of the door. I turned around and when I looked back again, it was a smudge." Adelaide tried to move, but her body was frozen. She glanced at Dean fearfully and he went to look where John had pointed. When he came back in, his face was wrought with worry.

"He's right." He said darkly. Mary swallowed hard and bent down to check the trap she'd just poured. She lightly touched the floor with her fingertips then rubbed them together.

"There's no more holy oil." She realised. Adelaide reached into her pocket for her gun and gripped it tight, although against this particular enemy, she knew it wouldn't do much good.

"Guys, I think we've got a-" Her warning was cut off by an excruciating high-pitched noise. The boys instantly recognised it as the voice of an angel. Sam drew his angel blade and raised it high, ready to attack. Everyone covered their ears as the sound grew more intense. Then the lightbulbs shattered, plunging the room into darkness.

* * *

Lee gestured for Samandriel to get lower. They were crouched behind a group of rubbish bins, which was fairly awful, but it was the only cover in the alley. It saddened her that Samandriel was spending his first hunt hiding in such a disgusting place, but then she remembered that hunting was never a particularly glamorous job and she stopped worrying. They were lying in wait for the three or four vampires that had been terrorising the little town. She'd tracked them to a nightclub and now all they had to do was wait for them to make an appearance.

"This is exhilarating." Samandriel whispered by her ear. Lee had to disagree with him there, but when she saw his thrilled smile in the half-light, she couldn't bear to tell him so.

"They'll be here soon." She told him in a low voice. She was starting to get cramp in her leg so she repositioned herself. As she did so, she stepped in something squishy. Lee pulled a face and forced herself not to look around. "I hope." She added under her breath. Even if it was taking a while, it was fun to just spend time with the angel. After she'd figured out where the vampires liked to select their prey, they'd gotten something to eat and had waited around the corner for it to get dark. They'd talked easily for hours on end, never once getting bored with each other. It was clear that Samandriel had taken a shine to her, but she hadn't expected to be quite as charmed by him in return.

As they waited in silence, her mind drifted to her friend. She wondered what Adelaide and the Winchesters were up to. She hoped they were safe, their task was even more dangerous than her own. But then she remembered that Adelaide had two angels with her, one of whom, she was certain, would risk his life to save her.

"Is that them?" Samandriel's frantic whisper brought her back to the present. He was watching four figures, three men and one woman. They were definitely vampires, she could spot one a mile off. Each had someone with them, a human.

"Get ready." Lee breathed, drawing her knife from its sheath. Samandriel nodded, his eyes never leaving the group. His concern for humans was touching, he wanted to help them just as much as she did. They moved after the first scream.

Lee got there first. She grabbed one man by the scruff of his shirt and yanked him away from the woman he had pressed against the wall. He hissed at her, his elongated teeth glistening in the moonlight. She kicked him, sending him sprawling to his knees and with one swift strike with her knife, his head came clean off.

Meanwhile Samandriel had a man in a headlock with one arm whilst he reached for another. He pressed the palm of his hand against the monster's face then after a bright flash, he fell to the ground. He made quick work of the one in his grasp, twisting his head violently then silencing him with a burst of his grace.

He dropped the second vampire in time to see Lee slicing through the last female monster. She was panting and there was blood on her clothes, but she seemed unharmed. She grinned breathlessly at him and he smiled back, all the while ignoring the Feeling that swelled in his chest. The humans that the vampires had attacked were long gone. They'd taken one look at the long knife in Lee's hands and ran as fast as they could.

"That's it! Fantastic!" She chuckled, walking over to him and grasping his arm. "We make a great team."

"We're a team?" Samandriel knew what the word 'team' meant in great detail. A team comprises a group of people linked in a common purpose. However, the curl of a smile that Amelia Lee was giving him, combined with the clever, cordial shine in her eyes, gave the small word an entirely new and complex meaning.

"Yeah, of course we're a team." She said, frowning a little. Why did he look so surprised? Did he not know how much she liked him? She thought she'd been pretty obvious. Samandriel began to laugh, loud and long and clear.

"This was fun." He told her, his eyes shining in the gloomy alleyway. "What now?" Lee glanced at her phone, it had just passed midnight.

"We've got to get going." She told him, sliding her knife back into its sheaf. "The others will be back in the morning." They left the alleyway, leaving the vampires behind.

* * *

Adelaide ducked her head, raising her arms protectively as the windows shattered. Then all of a sudden, the shrill sound stopped. Everyone looked up, bracing themselves for the worst. Adelaide's heart jumped into her mouth as the door flew open, the sound of beating wings filling the room. Then a man entered, a man she'd never seen before. He had dark skin and empty eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean barked at him, immediately getting into a fighting stance. The man looked at each of them in turn before he fixed his gaze on the eldest Winchester.

"I'm Uriel." He stated in a deep voice. Dean began to back away from him, his fight diminishing.

"Oh, come on." He muttered. Sam looked towards his mum and dad, his eyes wide.

"Go." He told them sharply. They all made to run in the opposite direction, but Anna was there blocking the other exit. Her dark eyes swept the room, but she remained unnervingly still.

"Here goes nothin'." Adelaide heard Dean mutter. Then he sprang forward and attacked Uriel. Adelaide and Sam both drew their weapons on Anna, but she swept them aside with a wave of her hand. Adelaide grunted as she hit the wall hard. Across the room, Dean had also been beaten. John dove for the knife Sam had dropped, but Anna blocked it and sent him through the wall into the backyard. Mary let out an anguished cry.

"John!" Sam went for the knife, but Anna ripped a fixture from the wall and drove it into his stomach. She watched with a cold detachment as blood began to seep through his shirt.

"Sammy!" Dean cried, but he was unable to reach his little brother. Adelaide looked around when a bright light caught her eye. Outside where John had landed, something was glowing. She grunted and tried to sit up. Her whole body screamed but she managed to stumble to her feet. Sam was slumped on the floor, she couldn't see how bad he was hurt. Anna had turned on Mary now. She gazed at her with sadness in her lifeless eyes.

"I'm really sorry." She murmured, then she reached out to her.

"Anna." The angel stopped what she was doing and she and the hunters looked around to see who had spoken. John was standing there, but it wasn't him anymore. His voice was deep, his eyes empty. Anna's face fell as she stared at the man.

"Michael." She whimpered. She seemed unable to move. Adelaide watched in horror as the archangel Michael, wearing John, put a hand on Anna's shoulder. The angel let out a bloodcurdling scream as her vessel burst into flames. Adelaide shuddered and looked away, shielding her eyes from the blinding light. Once Anna was gone, Michael turned to Uriel. The other angel looked beyond frightened, no longer hard and indomitable.

"Michael," He pleaded. "I didn't know." The archangel remained expressionless as he raised a hand.

"Goodbye, Uriel." He said, then snapped his fingers. The angel disappeared. But Mary didn't care about any of this. She was staring at her husband, her eyes beginning to brim with tears.

"What did you do to John?" She demanded. Michael slowly turned to her, and somehow, his face seemed to soften.

"John is fine." He reassured her. Mary shook her head, she didn't seem afraid anymore.

"Who- What are you?" But the archangel was done answering questions. He shushed her gently and touched her forehead. Mary fell to the ground, unconscious. Finally, Michael turned to Dean. The Winchester didn't seem up for a fight. He kept glancing at his brother, lying in a heap across the room.

"Well, I'd say this conversation is long overdue, wouldn't you?" Michael said, a smirk on his borrowed lips. Dean ignored him and pointed to Sam.

"Fix him." He ordered, but Michael didn't move.

"First... We talk." He replied, his voice low and unwavering. "Then I fix your darling little Sammy." Adelaide stepped closer to them and the floorboards creaked. She swore under her breath and dared herself to look up. Michael was facing her now. She could feel the power oozing off of him, filling the room. She'd never felt so small. "Almost forgot." He said quietly. She couldn't move, her feet felt stuck to the floor. Michael walked closer to her and pressed two fingers to her forehead.

The next thing she knew, she was lying on a bed. Adelaide opened her eyes groggily and tried to sit up but every muscle in her body refused. With a groan, she let her head fall back against the pillows.

"Hey, there, sleepyhead." She turned and saw Dean standing over her. He was smiling, but there was a hollowness to it. She tried to sit up again, a little more carefully this time, and finally succeeded.

"Where are we?" She asked. Her voice felt like sandpaper against her throat. Dean went to get her glass of water and when he came back, he explained everything that had happened. They were back in 2010, and the archangel Michael had been unsuccessful, but still they felt like they'd lost.

Dean grabbed a bottle. Adelaide didn't care what it was so long as it was alcohol. Sam pulled the plastic wrap off a few cups and passed one to her. The room felt empty, no one spoke. There was nothing to say. Then suddenly, another figure appeared. Sam span around to find Cas behind him. The angel looked a little worse for wear but he at least he was conscious. But then his legs gave way and Sam leapt forward to grab him around the middle, keeping him from falling.

"Hey. Hey, hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Sam muttered, struggling under the weight of the angel. Dean hurried over and helped hold him up. "We got you."

"You son of a bitch." Dean chuckled. "You made it." Adelaide still felt groggy so she simply watched them from the bed. Castiel blinked a few times, his brow furrowed.

"I... I did?" His eyes seemed unable to focus and he still relied heavily on the boys. "I'm very surprised." He mumbled. Adelaide began to laugh but then his eyes slid closed. He would've collapsed to the floor if Sam and Dean hadn't been holding onto him. They wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders, struggling to keep the angel upright.

"Bed?" Dean suggested. They hauled him over to the empty bed next to the one Adelaide was resting on and carefully laid him down. Dean dusted off his hands, feeling a lot better now that he knew his friend was safe. "Well, I could use that drink now." He said, heading back to the bottle he'd abandoned. Sam gave a quiet laugh and agreed with him, but Adelaide was still feeling nervous.

"Where's Gabriel?" She asked after a moment. She'd thought he would be right behind his brother, but he had yet to make an appearance. "Did he make it back?" Dean didn't seem half as worried as she did.

"I'm sure hotshot's fine." He called over his shoulder to her. Adelaide bit her lip, her anxiety flaring up again.

"But Michael and- and everything." She tripped over her words. Gabriel hadn't been in top condition when he'd brought them back in time. What if he was stuck? What if something had happened to him?

"Aw, little lady, I didn't know you cared." A familiar voice drawled. Adelaide looked around to find Gabriel standing by the window, his perpetual smirk in place. Her face began to grow hot when she realised he must've heard her thinking about him. She'd made him promise never to actively look inside her head, but he had told her that sometimes a person's thoughts are so strong that he can't help it. She must have been thinking about him pretty loudly if his smug smile was anything to go by. She glowered at him and repositioned herself on the bed.

"Shut up." She muttered, crossing her legs and taking a sip of her water. Gabriel didn't say anything more on the subject, but his smile didn't fade. Dean poured out three drinks and passed them around to the hunters.

"Well... This is it." He said in a low voice, taking a drink from his glass.

"This is what?" Asked Sam as Gabriel walked across the room and sat down beside Adelaide. She was done being cross with him now, so she nudged his arm with hers. He winked back as they listened to the eldest Winchester.

"Team Free Will." Dean gestured between him and his brother. "One ex-blood junkie, one dropout with six bucks to his name, and Mr. Comatose over there." He nodded to Cas, who was still passed out on the bed. Adelaide twisted her lips as she looked back at the angel. She hoped he would get better soon. He'd helped them a lot over the last twenty four hours, she wanted to thank him. "It's awesome." She turned back and leaned over to whisper in Gabriel's ear.

"Then what are we?" She asked him, a smile tugging at her lips. Gabriel thought for a moment before wriggling his eyebrows.

"Team Sexy?" He suggested and Adelaide had to stifle a laugh, though she did nod her head.

"I think so." She agreed, making Gabriel smile again. He was glad she was safe, he'd been worried about her too. Not many people get to come into contact with that many angels and live to tell the tale.

"They all say we'll say yes." Sam sighed, immediately sobering the angel and his human companion. Dean grunted and took a sip of his drink.

"I know. It's getting annoying." He muttered. Sam grunted, taking it a lot more seriously than his brother.

"What if they're right?" He asked. Dean took another drink, shaking his head.

"They're not." He said firmly, but Sam remained unconvinced.

"I mean, why? Why would we, either of us? But... I've been weak before." Adelaide suddenly felt like she shouldn't be listening to their conversation. One quick sideways glance at Gabriel let her know he was thinking the same thing. He was staring down at her hands folded in her lap, his own clenched into fists.

"Sam-"

"Michael got dad to say yes."

"That was different. Anna was about to kill mom." Dean shot back, not liking the way their conversation was headed. Sam shook his head, beginning to get frustrated.

"And if you could save mom, what would you say?" He asked, silencing Dean. The elder brother sighed and turned away.

* * *

Lee had rented a hotel room earlier in the day, just in case they couldn't find the vampires quickly. Frankly, she'd been impressed by her own ability on this particular hunt because they were done in a matter of hours. She left Samandriel flicking through TV channels and went into the bathroom to clean herself up. Lee desperately needed a change of clothes, her shirt was covered in vampire blood. She had to be careful, the stuff was pretty dangerous. If ingested, she would turn into one of them.

After a shower and a change of clothes, she felt a lot better, but something was off. She'd somehow damaged her right leg in the fight. Lee tutted irritably and tested the leg out a few times. Yeah, something was up. She limped back into the room to see that Samandriel was exactly where she'd left him. He looked around when he heard the door open and his bright blue eyes travelled over her. She thought perhaps he was making sure she was alright, which was partly true. He was trying to see if she was at all hurt, but secretly, he was also enjoying the sight of her in a tank top and tight black jeans, her hair still damp from her shower. She gave him a soft smile as she walked to her bag and he finally spotted the problem.

"You're hurt." He said quietly, his eyes focused on her leg. Lee waved him off, her attention focused on locating her phone.

"It's fine, just a twisted ankle or something." She told him. It hurt a little when she walked but it wasn't exactly life threatening. But Samandriel was staring at her like her leg was hanging off.

"You shouldn't walk." He told her, his voice soft but edged with concern. Lee glanced up at him and shook her head slightly.

"It's alright, Samandriel. I've had a lot worse than this." She tried to sound reassuring, but that seemed to make him even more worried. He got off the bed, the programme he'd chosen now just a dull hum in the background. That was one of the things she liked the most about him. When he talked to her, his attention was completely undivided. Nothing could distract him from you, like you were the only thing on his mind.

He held out his hand and Lee hesitated for a moment before letting her own hand rest in his, palm up. All her life she'd been trained to work through any pain. It felt unnatural, in more ways than one, to let Samandriel heal her. His thumb rested on her palm, his fingertips over her wrist where her pulse was thudding. He concentrated on their entwined hands and soon, Lee could feel a warmth seeping through her blood. It started in her hand then spread up her arm and continued through the rest of her body. The pain in her leg was gone and so were the scrapes on her arms and the bruises on her sides. Samandriel smiled down at her, and he seemed to glow, or perhaps that was just her imagination.

"There," He said softly, reluctantly letting go of her hand. The warmth disappeared but she didn't feel cold, instead she felt peaceful and whole. "You're all better." He continued, and Lee grinned up at him.

"Thank you."

* * *

"Come on, then." Adelaide said suddenly, making Gabriel look around. He stared at her as she began getting ready, presumably to go out.

"What?" She glanced back at him as she pulled on her boots. "Where're we going?" They'd been cooped up in their motel room for hours, and now she was feeling better, Adelaide wanted to stretch her legs.

"To get something to eat, I'm starving." She said, shrugging on her jacket. It was late, but there should still be somewhere she could grab a bite. She looked at him expectantly before walking out of the door. Gabriel stared after her, then looked over at the Winchesters.

"I guess I'm going to get something to eat." He said brightly. Dean rolled his eyes as the archangel hopped out of his chair and bounded eagerly after Adelaide.

"I want you back before midnight!" He called after him. The only reply he got was the door slamming shut.

It didn't take long to find a food stand even at that late hour, just one of the reasons why Adelaide adored America. They bought hotdogs then walked through the little town, trying to find a good place to sit.

"We've had more animals than a zoo, my family have." Adelaide finished her story. Gabriel had asked about her family, which she thought was sweet. So she'd told him about her parents' divorce, her younger brother, and eventually about the menagerie her house had maintained since she was small. She wasn't sure when she'd become so comfortable around the archangel, but she wasn't nervous about sharing such personal things with him. Gabriel raised his eyebrows.

"But no dog?" Adelaide laughed again and took a bite of her food before answering.

"Not yet, but my mum's like Fagin for animals." She looked across at him curiously. "Do angels keep pets?" She asked. Gabriel looked thoughtful for a moment before smirking.

"Do humans count?" Adelaide rolled her eyes but didn't rise to it. She finally spotted somewhere good to sit, a low wall overlooking a pond. She led Gabriel over to it and passed him her hotdog so she could jump up. Then he handed them to her and he hopped up next to her.

"I'm absolutely knackered." Adelaide breathed as she passed him his food. She didn't think angels needed to eat, but she supposed that Gabriel didn't care too much.

"If that means tired, then me too." He replied through a mouthful of hotdog. Adelaide began to roll her eyes at him but thought better of it. It was nice to just sit and talk for a while, she hadn't had a chance to relax in a long time. The weight of all that she'd seen since she'd joined the Winchesters was exhausting. She missed those days when she and her partner would just grab a beer and talk. Now looking out over the cool water, it almost felt like she was back in a time before she'd become a hunter. Except now instead of Lee, she had an archangel sitting next to her, chewing loudly on a hotdog. Her situation would've sounded crazy a few weeks ago, but she supposed she'd just have to get used to it. Her stomach grumbled so she took a huge bite of her food, chewing just as noisily as her companion.

"This' so good." She groaned, making Gabriel laugh. She gestured to his meal with clear disdain. "Can't believe you'd ruin yours by having mustard and onions." Gabriel gasped and leaned back, his free hand on his chest. Then he leaned in close and narrowed his eyes at her.

"I let you get away with a lot of crap, Miss. Kingsley," He said in a low voice, wagging his finger at her. "But insulting my food preferences is unforgivable." She shook her head at him then took another bite of her hotdog, managing to get ketchup all over her mouth.

"Onions are the root of all evil." She mumbled as she used the napkin she'd been given to wipe her face. Gabriel watched her for a moment before he remembered something.

"Didn't you tell me once that you like gravy on your fries?" He pulled a face at the thought, but Adelaide was quick to defend one of her favourite meals.

"Not the white, weird gravy they have here, proper meaty gravy." She dug around in her bag for the fries she'd bought to go with her hotdog, he'd reminded her of them. "And it goes on chips, not fries. Don't blaspheme in my presence." Gabriel smiled faintly at her words. She offered him a fry which of course he accepted. He never turned down food, especially when offered by pretty girls.

"Is this a date?" He asked suddenly and Adelaide nearly choked on her drink. She stared at him, her nose all scrunched up.

"What? No." She said quickly. Gabriel shrugged innocently, using her surprise as an opportunity to snaffle another one of her fries.

"Well, you asked me out..."

"Not like that.

"And we've got food..."

"I was hungry."

"And now we're laughing and having a good time." Adelaide was still staring at him. It did sound like a date when he put it like that, but of course it wasn't. She clicked her tongue and went back to her fries.

"Just shut up and eat your hotdog." She muttered, and Gabriel knew he'd embarrassed her. He nudged her shoulder as a sort of apology and he saw her smile, which meant he was off the hook. They finished their meal and after a walk around the sleepy town, they ventured back to the motel. Adelaide was reluctant to go back, it was nice to step out of that world for a while. She and Gabriel hadn't talked at all about what had happened with Michael or about the impending apocalypse. She'd felt like a normal person and Adelaide wished she could remain in that safe world, just for a little while longer.

The next morning, they were waiting for Lee and Samandriel to join them so they could go back to Bobby's. Dean and Sam were packing up the Impala, talking to Cas who was sat nearby. The angel had woken up early in the morning, scaring them all half to death. He seemed fine now that he was fully charged, as Gabriel had put it, but they knew they should take it easy for a while. Inside the motel room, Adelaide was watching them through the window. She'd packed her bag, but there was nothing else to do until Lee showed up with her car. She'd offered to help the Winchesters but they'd said it wouldn't take long to load up the Impala. Adelaide had turned on the radio but she was only half-listening. Gabriel was behind her, stretched out on the couch as if he owned the place. They sat in a companionable silence until she heard a familiar guitar riff coming through the old radio and she finally recognised the song.

"Carry on my wayward son." She sang along quietly, her eyes still focused on the boys outside. "There'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest. Don't you cry no more."

"I've never liked this song." Gabriel said suddenly. Adelaide looked over her shoulder and saw that his eyes were closed. She snorted and looked back out the window.

"Yeah, well, I like it." She retorted, not up to her usual comebacks. Gabriel finally opened his eyes and turned his head to her. She was leaning her elbows against the kitchen sink, blonde hair tied back which he'd never seen her do before. She began to hum along to the music, ignoring his comment completely, much to his amusement. "Carry on, you will always remember." She continued, singing so faintly she didn't think he could hear her. "Carry on, nothing equals the splendour. Now your life's no longer empty, surely heaven waits for you?"

"Nothing equals the splendour." Gabriel repeated softly. Adelaide looked back at him again and smiled.

"Nothing equals the splendour." She agreed. Gabriel met her gaze and after a moment he returned her smile.

"I suppose it's not so bad." He murmured. Adelaide had been about to reply when she heard a car roll into the lot below. She didn't even have to look out the window to know it was hers.

"Come on, then." She said, grabbing her bag and nodding towards the door. Instead of walking downstairs, Gabriel disappeared in the blink of an eye. She rolled her eyes at his laziness and left the motel room. When Adelaide saw Lee getting out of the car, she was suddenly overcome with emotion. She'd missed her partner so much and after the ordeal they'd been through with the angels, she needed her best friend to make her feel better. She let Lee close the car door before she ran up and threw her arms around her. "It's so good to see you!" She cried, hugging her friend tight. Lee squeezed her back just as tightly, but she was a little surprised.

"It's good to see you too." She said slowly, frowning at Dean and Sam over her friend's shoulder. They both shrugged, but they knew that Adelaide didn't like to hunt without her best friend and going back in time to fight angels was a pretty big deal. She was just happy to see her friend. Adelaide finally released Lee and realised that Samandriel was standing next to her. She didn't think he would appreciate a hug, so instead she patted his shoulder.

"It's good to see you too, mate." She grinned up at him. "How was your first hunt?" The angel immediately brightened.

"Incredible." He gushed and both girls chuckled at his exuberance. Beside the angel, Lee was shaking her head fondly. She was glad that Samandriel had enjoyed himself, and if she was honest, it had been nice with just the two of them. The more time she spent with Samandriel the better.

"Okay, let's hit the road." Dean's gruff voice interrupted their conversation. The four of them turned to see the brothers getting into the Impala. Before he closed his car door, Sam added,

"See you at Bobby's." Then he raised his hand in farewell. They all waved back as the brothers drove off. Adelaide held her hand out for the car keys, which Lee immediately passed over. She knew how much Adelaide loved her car, she didn't want to keep it from her any longer. Adelaide had been about to get into the driver's seat when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hang on a minute, dollface." She turned around to find Gabriel's face drawn with concern. She sighed wearily, her held tilted to the side in irritation.

"Please, no more nicknames." She muttered, raising a finger and tapping him on the nose. But the archangel's expression didn't change. His brow was furrowed, his golden eyes shining. He'd just remembered something important.

"If I was on your bed for forty eight hours, where did you sleep?" He asked quietly. Adelaide's eyes widened, her lips parting slightly as tried to come up with an answer. She hadn't thought he would realise.

"Oh. Um. You know, uh, Sam lent me his bed and then when he got tired, Dean offered and we, like, worked in shifts, so really it was-" Gabriel narrowed his eyes.

"You are the worst liar I have ever met, and I am an old, old guy." He sharply cut off her jumbled reply. Adelaide pursed her lips, her jaw tense. She didn't want to tell him, but the stubborn look he was giving her outdid her own. She watched Lee and her angel out of the corner of her eye, making sure they were out of earshot. They were far too enamoured by each other to pay her any attention, so Adelaide heaved a sigh and crossed her arms.

"I sat downstairs," She admitted, and Gabriel's concerned expression softened. "I worked, or I read books or..."

"You mean you haven't slept in two days?" He asked her and she shushed him quickly, afraid that her friend would hear him.

"It's not unusual." She muttered, gesturing for him to keep his voice down. That didn't make Gabriel feel any better.

"That's why you've been so droopy lately." He realised. "I've been worried about you, darlin'." Then he frowned, his mouth all twisted with worry. "Actually, I'm still worried about you. Humans need sleep." Adelaide glanced over her shoulder at her friend again then sighed deeply.

"Fine, yes, I'm a bit tired but it's not a big deal." She said in a hushed voice. She was determined not to give in to him. "Just, please, don't tell Lee. She already worries too much." Gabriel smiled at her kindly. She'd given up her bed, she hadn't slept properly in two days, all for him. No one had done anything so nice for him in a long time. He wanted to show her how grateful he was, perhaps even give her a hug, but he wasn't nearly brave enough.

"I promise I'll never tell a soul." He murmured, and that seemed all the thanks Adelaide needed. She looked relieved, she didn't want Lee to know, she would never hear the end of it. "But, in return, I refuse to let you drive." Adelaide's jaw dropped, her eyes wide.

"But I-" She tried to fight him, but he raised a hand.

"I don't want you falling asleep behind the wheel." He told her and Adelaide's mouth snapped shut. He raised his eyebrows at her and eventually she nodded her head miserably. Gabriel chuckled at her sulking then called over the car to Lee. "Little Lady's decided she can't be bothered to drive us back, so she's elected her tall friend to be the designated driver." He smiled at Lee, who looked surprised to say the least. "You can do that can't you, tall friend?"

"Um, yeah, sure." She said, then she glanced at her partner. "Are you alright, Lady?" Adelaide nodded and waved her off.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine." She mumbled as she stuck her hands in her jacket pockets. Gabriel felt a little guilty about keeping her from something she loved, but then again, he knew she needed the rest.

"Another go at shotgun, Samandriel's living the dream." Lee chuckled. The angel in question was beaming away like it was Christmas as he slid into the passenger seat. Adelaide felt Gabriel take her hand in his as he opened the car door for her and she let him gently persuade her into the backseat.

"You're coming with me." He told her quietly. She grumbled a little as she put her seatbelt on but didn't fight him anymore than that. Gabriel settled himself next to her, straightening his jacket and getting himself comfortable. "You're gonna sit next to me, have a chat and maybe a little snooze." He continued. Adelaide snorted.

"I'm not falling asleep in the back of the car like a little kid." She muttered, but she sent him a grateful smile all the same. She was thankful for what he was doing for her, even if she did feel a coddled. But as she leaned her head back against the seat, she could feel her eyes closing of their own accord.

As the morning wore on, Adelaide quickly fell asleep. The stress of the day before on top of her lack of sleep had finally gotten the better of her. Gabriel had closed his eyes too, but he stayed awake to make sure his friend was alright. In the front seat, Samandriel was enjoying the ride. He turned his head to Lee and asked,

"Maybe I can drive next?" Lee only just held back her derisive snort. She didn't want the angel to lose heart, but any chance of him driving Adelaide's car was fantastically slim.

"You'll have to talk to Adelaide about that." She told him, trying hard to suppress a smile. Samandriel nodded seriously, he didn't want to get on the wrong side of the hunter. Then Lee had a thought. "But, hey, can I please be there when you ask her?" She asked, grinning at the idea. Samandriel innocently agreed and she chuckled to herself.

Lee glanced up at the rear-view mirror and saw her passengers were both asleep. Adelaide had slid down in her seat and now her head rested on Gabriel's shoulder. She watched them, carefully switching her gaze between the road and the show in the backseat. Gabriel eventually realised what had happened and he gazed at his human friend with such warmth that Lee thought she ought to look away. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before it fell across her face then closed his eyes again. "God, just marry her and get it over with." Lee muttered, even though she knew the archangel could hear her. Gabriel didn't open his eyes, but he did reply.

"Only if she'd have me." He mumbled. Lee gave a scornful laugh and nodded her head.

"Oh, she'd have you." She assured him, and she laughed again. Gabriel's golden eyes opened then and he raised his eyebrows at the hunter. She shrugged slightly then turned her gaze back to the road. Gabriel hummed thoughtfully and looked down at the woman leaning against him. He didn't move for the entire journey, too afraid of waking her up. The two hunters and two angels drove in silence through the afternoon, headed for home.


	15. Chapter 15

"So... You were the one who found the bodies?" Sam studied a little card printed with an illustration of an angel. It was splattered with the blood of the victims. The card was meant to grant some kind of protection to the owner of the house it resided in, which he thought was rather ironic. He dropped it onto the counter, being careful not to stain his fingers.

"There was blood everywhere." Said Alice's roommate, Jen. She took a couple of picture frames down from the mantelpiece, her eyes flicking other the old photographs before she put them in one of the boxes. "And... Other stuff..." She added, pulling a face at the memory. When she walked in that morning after a night out, she was horrified to find her friend and roommate dead on the floor. The sight was burned into her memory. Jen felt sick as she thought about the condition she'd found Alice in and quickly pushed the sight from her mind. "I think Alice was already dead." Sam raised his eyebrows at the girl. When dressed as an FBI agent, it was a good idea to act surprised by the terrifying things he saw, but in this case, the shock was real.

"But Russell wasn't?" He asked, trying to get as much information out of the girl as possible without causing her too much grief. Jen shrugged as she carefully placed her friend's belongings into a cardboard box.

"I think he was, mostly. Except... He was still sort of... Chewing a little." She grimaced at the thought, shaking her head in disgust. Sam blanched a little despite himself and tried not to show how grossed out he felt.

"Oh. Uh huh." He muttered uselessly. Jen had tried not to look at the space in the kitchen where she'd found the couple, but now she stared at the kitchen floor. It was still stained with blood, swirls of movement caught in the now dried red.

"How do two people even do that? Eat each other to death?" She asked, and Sam supposed she was being rhetorical, which was good because he really didn't have an answer for her. When they'd picked up the case, it had sounded right up their alley. He and Dean were focusing on the weirdest cases they could find, the ones that just had to be caused by Lucifer and his new freedom. Bobby had his feelers out for anything that might help them, which is how they'd found out about Alice and Russell, a couple on a date who had finished the night by eating each other. And not in a good way.

"That's a really good question." He murmured, gazing at the mess left on the floor. Then he cleared his throat and looked back at the girl. "Now, the last few days, did you notice her acting erratically?"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, did she seem... Unusually hostile? Aggressive?" He hazarded a guess, but Jen only smiled.

"No way." She said firmly. "Alice never drank, never even swore. She was a nice girl. And I'm talking, like, a nice girl." She raised her eyebrows pointedly. "Like she still had her promise ring, if you know what I mean." Now that was interesting.

"She was a virgin?" Just about every piece of lore had some reference to a virgin woman, but they mostly passed it over as sexist old hunter crap from the 1700s. But this, this had to be a clue.

"No premarital." Jen nodded as she began to load Alice's books into the box. "I used to wonder how she did it. I mean, you know, _didn't_ do it." She corrected herself whilst Sam tried not to show any hint of amusement. Jen sighed and looked around for anything else that needed packing. Her gaze fell upon an old cuddly toy that had belonged to Alice, a silky white rabbit that she had cherished since she was a child. Jen gingerly picked up the toy and held it close. "It was her first date in months. She was so excited." Her voice came out in a choked whisper though she had tried to be strong. Sam pulled a face and looked back at the mess in the kitchen.

"Apparently, they were both pretty excited." He muttered.

* * *

"They ate each other?"

"Yeah."

"Like, proper _ate each other_ ate each other."

"Yeah?"

"Hungry, were they?" Sam rolled his eyes as he walked through the motel lot. He'd just got back from the crime scene and thought it would be a good idea to get some more help on the case. He was sure that he and his brother could take it on by themselves, but if they had the extra help available, it would be foolish not utilise it.

"Adelaide." He muttered, not impressed by her ability to laugh over such a sensitive and frankly disgusting matter. Adelaide chuckled at her own joke but apologised all the same. "You wanna come down and meet us?" He asked her, taking a sip from the Coke he'd just bought from a fast food place down the street.

"You think this has something to do with Lucifer?" He heard her ask. She sounded a lot more interested now and a lot less unsympathetic. Sam nodded,

"It's bound to." He agreed in a dark voice. Back at Bobby's house, Adelaide chewed her lip in thought. She couldn't help but feel a little worried by Sam's words. So far, the effect of Lucifer's new powers had been relatively minimal compared to the stuff described in Revelations. That wasn't to mean it had been all rosy down on Earth. There had been floods, earthquakes, storms that demolished whole towns. Biblical stuff, real Old Testament. But if people were being targeted, then they were running out of time.

"Yeah, alright then." She agreed, getting out of her comfy armchair and starting to gather her things. "Shouldn't take me too long."

"Thanks." Sam said before he hung. Adelaide slipped her phone back into her pocket then slung her jacket around her shoulders.

"Ate each other?" Lee asked. Adelaide turned around to look at her friend who was seated on the floor next to Samandriel. They were sitting at the coffee table, looking through a few old books that Bobby had asked them to study. They were searching for anything that might help them with Lucifer or some sort of spell that could reverse or at least minimize the terrors rattling the Earth. Adelaide opened her mouth to explain, but then Lee shook her head and raised a hand to stop her. "You know what, I don't even want to know." She muttered, looking back at the old book in front of her. Adelaide smiled at her words as she grabbed her bag.

"I said we'd go down and help the boys. Are you up for it?" She asked, although from the look of things, her friend and her angel were far too cosy to brave the rain that had started to pour outside. Lee looked up at her partner and smiled apologetically.

"Actually, Bobby said he was gonna show me how to make an angel trap. I still don't know a lot about how to fight them." She replied, confirming Adelaide's suspicions. It was true, Lee had missed a lot. She still didn't know very much about their biggest threat and needed a quick 101 if she was going to be of any use. The idea of Lee learning how to trap and kill angels made Samandriel shudder, but he didn't say anything. He knew that it was for the greater good, and if she didn't learn, she would end up being killed, which was a far worse prospect.

"Oh, alright then." Adelaide said lightly. She wasn't sure whether she was unhappy about being separated from her partner or not. It would feel weird hunting without her, but it wasn't as if Lee didn't want to join her. She needed to learn these things, otherwise she could get hurt. Adelaide raised her eyebrows at Samandriel, who seemed to be studying her partner a lot more than the book he had in his lap. "I'm guessing you're staying with her, Beany." She told him, smiling slightly as the adorable angel went a little red, embarrassed at having been caught staring. Lee looked up and narrowed her eyes at Adelaide.

"Don't call him that." She chastised her partner, who pretended to be affronted.

"What, why?" She practically gasped, trying and failing to hide her toothy grin. Lee shook her head.

"It's mean." She scolded, while Samandriel just looked bewildered. Adelaide shrugged as she began to pack her bag with things she would need for the hunt, if there was one.

"Well, he needs a nickname." She reasoned, shoving her gun, knife, and pack of salt into her duffel. "He doesn't like Alfie and I'll be dead by the time I've finished calling 'Samandriel' for help." Lee had to laugh at that, but still she opposed the name, determined not to let it catch on. She knew that as soon as Dean or Gabriel heard it, it would never die.

"Anything but Beany." She insisted, nudging Samandriel's arm comfortingly. The angel sat in a confused silence as he tried to figure out why Adelaide had chosen such a name and why Lee was so against it.

"What's wrong with Beany?" He frowned at both of the women. Lee shot her friend a glare, but she only laughed and continued packing.

"She's saying you look like a bean." She explained, finding it hard not to laugh. It wasn't nice to call him names, even if Adelaide wasn't trying to be mean, but she couldn't deny that it was quite funny. Samandriel looked surprised then glanced down at himself. He stretched out his long arms then poked at his chest and stomach.

"Do I?" He didn't think he much resembled a vegetable, but he'd been wrong before. So, as always, he looked to Lee for guidance. Before she could answer, Adelaide grinned.

"Yes." She said, but Lee quickly intervened.

"No. No, you don't." She sent Adelaide yet another dark look. Her best friend only smiled as she heaved her bulging duffel bag onto her shoulder. She gave the pair on the floor a quick salute.

"See you love birds later." She said before she waved and walked out of the library. Lee only rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the 'love bird' comment. She glanced at Samandriel to see his reaction and he smiled at her sweetly, completely oblivious to Adelaide's words. Lee adored the angel, she really did, but she didn't think she could stand the teasing much longer. Especially because Samandriel had no idea what anyone was talking about. She sighed and looked back at the book. They heard the floorboards creak and then Bobby's curmudgeonly voice.

"C'mon, you two. Let's get a move on." He muttered, wheeling himself into the library doorway. Lee nodded at the old hunter then jumped to her feet. She was actually quite excited to learn something new. Of the two of them, Lee had never been the more studious one but it wasn't often she came across something she didn't know about her line of work. So she followed Bobby with eager feet, Samandriel not far behind.

* * *

Adelaide had guessed right, it didn't taken her long to meet up with Sam and Dean. It was late afternoon when they arrived at the St. James Medical Clinic. The boys were wearing their FBI suits and Adelaide, who hadn't brought her suit with her, was wearing her best clothes and followed close to the men. She didn't look like an agent, but she looked professional and that was usually good enough. The doctor they spoke to was kind and had a strange morbid humour that made Adelaide a little nervous, but she tried not to let it show. He led them into the morgue where the most recent victims were being kept.

"Leave the keys with Marty up front. And please, gentlemen, lady..." He dropped his wide brimmed hat onto his head and smiled wryly at the hunters. "Refrigerate after opening." He chuckled before leaving them to it. Adelaide grimaced at his little joke but Dean seemed to find it amusing. They quickly got to work, unpacking what was left of the victims from the enormous refrigerator. Sam was studying some sort of intestine whilst Adelaide poked and prodded at a liver. She wasn't really sure what she was supposed to be looking for but she was certain that she wasn't going to be touching any of the remains any time soon.

"Hey." Said Dean, capturing his companions' attentions. Apparently just as bored as Adelaide but not quite as disgusted, the hunter pushed the heart he was supposed to be examining over to his brother. "Be my Valentine?" He asked, giving Sam a strange bemused grin. That was when Adelaide realised what day it was. She'd never been very invested in Valentine's Day and her love life had never been particularly noteworthy, but she thought it was rather astounding just how much her life had changed so that she was investigating a vicious killing on a day celebrating love. Sam looked less than impressed, but Adelaide let out a quiet chuckle. She sat back in her chair and toyed with the heavy apron she had on, wondering if she would be tempting fate if she took it off.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a second." Sam's sudden surprised cry recaptured her attention. Both she and Dean watched closely as he pulled the lid off one of the plastic boxes then compared its contents to the heart Dean had given him. "These hearts both have identical marks." He realised, which finally got the other hunters' interested. Sam leaned back and guided the magnifying glass over the two organs. He grinned when his suspicions proved to be correct. "Check this out. It looks like some kind of letter." Adelaide raised her eyebrows when his face fell. "Oh, no." He groaned. Dean got out of his seat to look through the magnifying glass, trying to see what his brother had found.

"What?" Sam sighed deeply and pushed the magnifying glass away again.

"I think it's Enochian." He told them reluctantly, as if he didn't want to believe it. Adelaide didn't know what that meant, but it definitely seemed to resonate with Dean.

"You mean like angel scratches?" He asked. "So you think it's like the tagging on our ribs?"

"Dean, I don't know." Sam sighed again. Adelaide still had no clue what was going on, but Dean's worried expression wasn't exactly reassuring.

"Ah, hell." He muttered, moving away from the table and pulling out his phone. "Cas, it's Dean." Whilst he was preoccupied with the angel, Adelaide frowned at Sam.

"What's Enochian?" She asked. Sam pushed the plastic box away from him and pulled off his latex gloves. Once he'd chucked them in a nearby bin, he rubbed his tired eyes.

"It's the language of the angels." He told her, and Adelaide finally realised why they both looked so worried and why Dean had called Castiel. They both looked around when they heard the sound of wings and weren't surprised to find the angel standing there, right in front of Dean. They wasted no time in explaining the situation to Cas. As always, his expression remained stoic and he didn't seem at all effected by the horrific tale the brothers articulated for him. Adelaide pulled a disgusted face as the angel reached for one of the hearts and examined it closely.

"You're right, Sam." He said in his low, gruff voice. "These are angelic marks. I imagine you'll find similar marks on the other couples' hearts as well." He placed the organ back in the box and tried to flick some of the congealed blood off his fingers but his hand was stained red.

"So, what are they? I mean, what do they mean?" Sam asked quickly, his eagerness growing now that they had their first real lead.

"It's a mark of union." Cas said, finally giving up on cleaning his hand. "This man and woman were intended to mate." Dean shook his head slightly, his impatience beginning to show.

"Okay, but who put them there?"

"And why?" Adelaide put in, looking up at the angel curiously. Castiel met her gaze for a moment before he spoke again.

"Well, your people call them 'Cupid'." He replied, and was she imagining it, or did he seem a little embarrassed?

"A what?" Sam asked, voicing exactly what they were all thinking. Castiel took in the humans' mystified expressions and turned away from the metal examination table.

"What human myth has mistaken for Cupid is actually a lower order of angel. Technically it's a cherub, third-class." He muttered the last part. He had his back to them so they couldn't see his face, but his irritation was clear in his voice.

"Cherub?" Asked Dean incredulously.

"Yeah, they're all over the world. There are dozens of them."

"You mean the little flying fat kid in diapers?" Adelaide had to crack a grin then. The idea of such ridiculous creatures going on a killing spree was laughable. But when Castiel turned back around, his expression was still grim.

"They're not incontinent." He replied frowning slightly at the hunter. Adelaide snorted and would've started to laugh if it weren't for the sharp kick in the ankle she received from Sam under the table.

"Okay, anyway. So, what you're saying-" He began, as always trying to make some sense of the ludicrous situations they landed themselves in.

"What I'm saying is a Cupid has gone rogue and we have to stop him before he kills again."

* * *

The restaurant was a little gaudy for Adelaide's taste but she would put up with it if Cas' suspicions proved to be correct. He'd used his angel senses to track down a cherub and had led them to a joint in town. It was small and relatively busy, but thankfully they were served in no time. Adelaide was starving, she hadn't eaten since that morning, and ordered the biggest plate of fries the waitress could carry. But although she tucked into her food eagerly and Sam was stabbing at his salad, Dean was acting strange. Usually he attacked his food liked a starved dog, but he took his time today, speaking to the group as he prepared his cheeseburger.

"So, what, you just happen to know he likes the cosmos at this place?" He asked Cas, whose sharp eyes were scanning the crowded restaurant.

"This place is a nexus of human reproduction. It's exactly the kind of-" He broke off as he watched Dean put ketchup on his burger. "Of garden the Cupid will come to- To pollinate." He finished distractedly. Sam swallowed another mouthful of salad, like Adelaide he was ravenous, but he stopped chewing out of sheer shock as he watched his brother put down his burger and push away his plate.

"Wait a minute. You're not hungry?" He raised his eyebrows at his brother. Something strange was happening to Dean. First he doesn't go out on Valentine's Day and now he wasn't eating?

"No." Dean said simply. When he saw the worried expression on his brother's face, he grew defensive. "What? I'm not hungry."

"Then you're not gonna finish that?" Castiel asked. He didn't wait for a reply before he reached across the table and took Dean's plate. He grabbed the cheeseburger and took an enormous bite out of it. Adelaide opened her mouth to question the angel, she'd been told that they didn't eat, but before she could utter a single word, she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hello, friends." She almost fell out of her chair in fright as Gabriel suddenly appeared at their table, smirking down at them all. Though Adelaide was quite pleased to see the angel, Dean wasn't so enthusiastic.

"What're you doing here?" He said, his voice heavy with irritation. The archangel snapped his fingers and a chair appeared behind him. He sat down at the table, locked his fingers together and grinned at the eldest Winchester.

"Thought I'd swing by Bobby's to see how you were doing but when I got there, nobody was around." He snapped his fingers again and a cocktail appeared on the table in front of him. He sighed happily and sipped from the glass. "Then I found Samandriel and Lee and the old man a couple miles away doing some angel-killing practice and they told me you were off on a hunt." Gabriel plucked the tiny umbrella from the edge of his glass and tucked it behind Adelaide's ear. She gave him a look but didn't remove the umbrella. "I couldn't keep away." He said warmly as he smiled at the hunter. She smiled back. Though at first Adelaide had resisted befriending the archangel, the last couple of days had seen them grow closer and closer. He was still highly annoying and never knew when enough was enough, but he could be helpful and was ultimately good company. She would never tell the boys this, of course.

"Fine, but keep quiet, okay? We're doing important stuff here." Dean practically growled as he raised his beer to his mouth. Despite the hunter's obvious dislike for the archangel, Adelaide tried to be as welcoming as she could, mostly just to annoy Dean.

"Want a chip?" She offered, pushing her plate towards Gabriel. The archangel smirked and happily took her up on her proposition.

"Oh, little lady, you know me so well." He winked at her as he took a chip and she pretended she didn't like it. Castiel's hands froze with the burger halfway to his mouth. They all stopped talking to watch the angel as he stared off into the distance.

"He's here." He murmured. They all looked around at the bustling restaurant but none of the hunters could see anything of note.

"Where? I don't see anything." Sam asked, his food long forgotten, his attention now solely on the nearby threat. Castiel's eyes travelled over the scene before him, trying to hone in on the cherub. The garish decorations above their heads swayed slightly as if touched by a soft breeze and then…

"There." They all looked around in the direction he was staring and saw a couple very much enjoying each other's company.

"You mean the same-side-of-the-booth couple over there?" Dean asked, but Castiel wasn't listening. Adelaide glanced at Gabriel and saw that he too was staring intently at the same spot and she figured she wouldn't have to explain what they were hunting now.

"Meet me in the back." Castiel muttered before he vanished from sight. Dean and Sam didn't want to miss the action and quickly got out of their seats. Adelaide was a little more reluctant as she gazed miserably down at her plate.

"But my chips." She moaned as she begrudgingly got out of her chair. Gabriel sighed and patted her shoulder encouragingly.

"C'mon, gorgeous." Instead of disappearing like Cas, he hurried with Adelaide and the boys around to the back of the restaurant. Adelaide remembered the cocktail umbrella that was still tucked behind her ear. She carefully removed it but slipped it into her pocket, much to Gabriel's delight. They found the angel in an empty storage room. He had his hand out in front of him, his fingers splayed as he focused on a specific point.

"Cas, where is he?" Sam asked, looking around the room and finding it empty. They had yet to see their killer and it was making the hunters a little nervous.

"I have him tethered." Castiel assured them, his attention never wavering from the space in front of him. Adelaide glanced at Gabriel again to see his reaction and he too was focused on the same spot. It was as if he couldn't look away, his whole body was frozen. His bright eyes had grown dark and he seemed fascinated by whatever it was that Castiel had captured. "Manifest yourself." The angel demanded. A moment passed then Cas dropped his hand. The hunters all looked around the room on high alert. They waited for the low-ranking angel to attack, but nothing happened. Dean looked back to Castiel with clear confusion.

"So, where is he?" He asked. All of a sudden, a figure appeared behind Dean and grabbed him into a hug. The hunter let out a gasp as all the air was crushed out of his lungs.

"Here I am!" The cherub cried happily. Adelaide wasn't sure what to do. Dean certainly didn't look happy, but it wasn't as if the creature was hurting him. But then again, this cherub had supposedly killed people. In all honesty, she was too surprised to do anything. They all were.

"Help!" Dean managed to wheeze out. The cherub only smiled and continued to squeeze the life out of the hunter.

"Oh, help is on the way. Yes, it is. Yes, it is." He said cheerily, swaying him from side to side. Then he gasped and dropped Dean when he spotted Cas. "Hello, you!" He cried, making a beeline for the angel. Adelaide gawped as the cherub wrapped his arms around Cas and gathered him into a hug. Castiel looked less than pleased as he was bounced up and down. That was when Adelaide realised that this creature was extremely naked. Now she wished that he really did wear a diaper.

"This is Cupid?" Dean gasped out when he finally got his breath back. The cherub let go of Castiel and turned his attentions to Sam now. The younger Winchester looked very frightened but there was nothing he could do to stop the creature.

"And look at you, huh?" The cherub said, his arms open wide as he paced towards Sam. The hunter tried to get away but Cupid appeared in front of him, hugging him too. None of them really knew what to do. Dean, Adelaide, Gabriel and Cas could only stare at the naked man squeezing Sam half to death.

"Is this a fight? Are we in a fight?" Dean asked, so bewildered he could hardly think straight. No hunt had ever gone like this. He'd never been hugged by the thing they were trying to kill. Beside him, Castiel looked on in irritation.

"This is their handshake." He explained to the two hunters. Dean's eyes were still wide with shock.

"I don't like it." He said firmly.

"No one likes it." Gabriel nudged Adelaide's arm and pointed to the cherub who was still embracing Sam, not seeming to notice that the hunter was struggling to get away.

"That could be us." The archangel said to her. Adelaide scoffed and slapped his arm, though only lightly. She didn't want to risk breaking her fingers again.

"Shut up!" She cried, but instantly regretted it. The cherub released Sam from his vice-like grip then turned to see who was left. His gaze fell upon Adelaide and he beamed at her.

"And you!" He hurried towards her, so fast she couldn't react in time. Beside her, Gabriel, clearly fearing for his life, raised one hand.

"I'm out." He muttered, before snapping his fingers.

"No! Gabriel, don't you-" She tried to stop him, but he'd disappeared before she even finished her sentence. The cherub grabbed her, squeezing her tight and she was very aware that she was hugging a large, naked man. She tried not to punch him, that had never worked out well for her and angels, so she just tried to grin and bear it and hope he let her go soon. When her feet finally touched the floor again, she sucked in a deep breath and tried not to shudder. Cupid hummed contentedly, his smile wide and unerring.

"What can I do for you?" He asked the group before him. The hunters were all still a little grossed out so Castiel stepped forward as their representative.

"Why are you doing this?" He demanded of the cheery man. The cherub looked surprised by the angel's sharp words and they saw his smile falter for the first time.

"Doing what?" He asked innocently. Cas tilted his head to the side, trying to gauge whether he was lying to him or not.

"Your targets, the ones you've marked, they're slaughtering each other." He explained, hoping to speed up the interrogation. The cherub began to grow pale with shock.

"What? They are?" He squeaked. Adelaide shared a glance with Sam but he looked just as uncertain as she felt. Was he playing dumb? Or was he really clueless? They couldn't be sure. Dean sighed and stepped forward to help Cas.

"Listen, birthday suit, we know, okay? We know you've been flittin' around, popping people with your poison arrow, making them murder each other!" The poor cherub looked like he might start to sob.

"What we don't know is why." Added Cas. The cherub pressed a hand to his chest, his mouth falling open in shock.

"You think that I-" His voice wobbled dangerously and Adelaide knew what was coming. The cherub took a few short breaths as he tried to summon a response. "Well, uh... I don't know what to say." Dean was about to ask him further questions but the creature suddenly burst into tears. The three hunters and the angel gawped at the sobbing cherub, none of them really knowing what to do. They weren't the most emotional people in the world, so they weren't particularly good at comforting people.

"Should... Should somebody maybe... Go talk to him?" Sam asked awkwardly. No one looked ready to volunteer, so Dean knew he had to take action.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." He agreed. Then he clapped a hand on the angel's shoulder. "Give 'em hell, Cas." He muttered, before pushing Castiel over to the cherub. He looked back over his shoulder at them and they all nodded encouragingly. Cas sighed inwardly and took a tentative step closer to the so-called Cupid.

"Um... Look," He began, trying to remember how he'd seen humans comforting each other in his many, many years. "We didn't mean to, um..." He looked skyward for a moment, trying to force down his exasperation. "Hurt your feelings." He finished lamely. The cherub's arms were around him again before he could say anything more. He let out a quiet grunt of disgust but didn't try to fight him off, knowing it would be best if he just went along with it.

"Love is more than a word to me, you know." Cupid gushed as he held the angel tight. "I _love_ love. I love it! And if that's wrong, I don't want to be right!"

"Yes, yes. Of course." Castiel assured him, taking a furtive glance over his shoulder at his supposed friends. The three hunters all grinned at him and he turned back to the cherub. "I, uh... I have no idea what you're saying." He admitted, but the cherub didn't seem to care. He let Cas go and the angel quickly took a step back, afraid that he might try and hug him again.

"I was just on my appointed rounds." The cherub began to quickly explain himself. "Whatever my targets do after that, that's nothing to do with me. I- I was following my orders." He looked to Cas and raised his hands as he pleaded with him. "Please, brother. Read my mind. Read my mind, you'll see." Adelaide watched as Castiel focused on the lower ranking angel then turned back to the hunters with a disappointed sigh.

"He's telling the truth." He told them. Adelaide wasn't sure what to think. She was partly glad that this creature hadn't turned out to be the killer, he seemed far too sweet to do such terrible things. But then again, it meant the true murderer was still out there and they had wasted time by interrogating the cherub, whose only real crime was being a little too touchy-feely.

"Jiminy Christmas." Cupid breathed, confirming her suspicions about his sweetness. "Thank you." Although he wasn't the vicious murderer they were after, Dean stepped forward and continued to question the cherub.

"Wait, wait, you said you were just following orders?" He checked, and Adelaide couldn't understand why he was so furious with the harmless creature. "Whose orders?" The cherub frowned at the hunter.

"Whose?" He laughed then, which only served to irritate Dean more. "Heaven, silly. Heaven." The eldest Winchester frowned at him, he didn't like being patronised.

"Why does heaven care if Harry meets Sally?"

"Oh, mostly they don't. You know, certain bloodlines, certain destinies." A thought suddenly sprang to the angel's mind. "Oh, like yours." He realised. Adelaide's eyes widened. Oh, dear. This wasn't going to end well.

"What?" Sam asked, stepping forward to stand next to his brother.

"Yeah, the union of John and Mary Winchester. Very big deal upstairs, top priority arrangement." Continued the cherub, not seeming to recognise the outraged looks on the Winchesters' faces.

"Are you saying that you fixed up our parents?" Dean's confused expression had disappeared only to be replaced by one of anger. Still the cherub smiled, blissfully unaware of what he was talking himself into.

"Well, not me, but... Yeah." He shrugged, still beaming away. "It wasn't easy, either. Ooh, they couldn't stand each other at first. But when we were done with them..." He clapped his hands together with glee. "Perfect couple." Adelaide watched as Dean took another threatening step closer to the creature.

"Perfect? They're dead!" He cried, and even Sam seemed surprised by the fury in his voice. The cherub's face fell at the news, Adelaide couldn't help but pity him.

"I'm sorry, but the orders were very clear." He said defensively. "You and Sam needed to be born. Your parents were just, uh... Meant to be." He began to smile again and sang, "A match made in heaven- heaven!" Dean growled and stepped forward. Before anyone could stop him, he punched the cherub hard on the jaw. He immediately yelped in pain, too distracted by his bruised fingers to notice that the creature had flown away. "Son of a bitch." He winced, nursing his injured hand. When Dean finally looked up, he turned around in a circle, looking for the cherub. "Where is he? Where'd he go?" He demanded.

"I believe you upset him." Cas told him, somewhat relieved that the embarrassing angel had left the room. Dean still cradled his hand as he gawked at his friends.

"Upset _him_?" He couldn't understand why Castiel seemed to be taking the cherub's side. Though, now that he thought about it, he couldn't be certain. It was as if his memory of the last few moments was clouded, like he hadn't been himself.

"Dean, enough." Sam ordered, having grown tired of his brother's unnecessary violence. Dean frowned at him. Not Sam too, surely?

"What?" He glanced at Adelaide and saw that even she looked a little wary of him. Not frightened, just on guard, but that was almost as hurtful.

"You just punched a Cupid!" Dean still felt furious but he didn't quite know why. His brother's words only agitated him more.

"I punched a dick!" He retorted, shouting it just in case the cherub was listening. Sam sighed and looked to Castiel for help but the angel only stared back. Adelaide shook her head slightly when his gaze turned to her, she didn't want to get involved. Sam turned back to his brother and asked,

"Um, are we gonna talk about what's been up with you lately or not?" Dean didn't say anything for a moment, but when he spoke again, his voice was harsh and low.

"Or not." He replied, then he stormed past his companions and out the way they'd come in. Adelaide watched as Sam raised his eyes to the ceiling then turned to watch his brother leave. He gritted his teeth, his jaw tight. She knew he was worried about Dean, hell, after that display, they all were. Even Cas seemed put-off by the hunter's brashness. Adelaide was starting to get a really bad feeling about this case. It was definitely a lot darker than it first appeared.

* * *

Soon after their meeting with the cherub, Sam was called back to the clinic. It appeared the friendly yet slightly morbid doctor who they'd talked to earlier had some more evidence for them. Dean and Adelaide waited in the car across town. They were thinking hard, trying to come up with another explanation for such an obscure series of deaths. Now that they knew the cherubs were innocent, that particular one anyway, they needed to come up with another plan of action and fast, before anyone else died.

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before." Adelaide murmured from the back. Usually she hated sitting there, she was used to being in the driver's seat, but after Dean's display earlier, she thought it would be better to just go with the flow.

"Me neither." Dean replied gruffly. He was staring out of the window, his fingers tapping out a steady rhythm against the steering wheel. He was clearly worried about himself too but he would never admit it. The Impala was eerily quiet, Dean hadn't switched on the radio or put in a cassette. Something was definitely wrong.

"Me neither." Adelaide jumped at the new voice and wished she could get used to the way these angels suddenly appeared and disappeared out of thin air. Gabriel smiled at her from across the seat, silently apologising for startling her. Adelaide's lips twitched and he knew he was forgiven.

"So you have no idea what this could be?" She asked him, which he thought was strange. She'd never been so quick to forgive him. Usually she sent him some kind of withering glare or a sharp punch before she started talking to him again. Then he remembered how warmly she had spoken to him earlier, even offering up some of her food. Had she finally begun to confide in him? He very much doubted it. Adelaide was many things but trusting was not one of them. He knew it would take a while for her to finally have complete faith in him and he greatly anticipated that glorious day. Perhaps this case was affecting her too, the same way it was affecting Dean.

"Sorry, gorgeous." He responded, testing the waters. Instead of correcting him, she only smiled back. Okay, something was definitely wrong. He hadn't yet been able to call her names without some kind of rebuttal, so unless Adelaide had very quickly changed her tune, Gabriel knew something was different. Her smile disappeared when Dean's phone rang. Her attention was solely on the conversation between him and his brother, but Gabriel couldn't help but stare at her, trying to figure out what had happened to his favourite hunter.

"Hey. So, uh, this guy was not marked by Cupid, but his death is definitely suspicious." Sam's voice crackled through the phone. Dean put him on speakerphone so they had to strain to hear him over the sounds of the town in the background.

"Yeah, well, we just went through the police blotter, and counting him, that's eight suicides since Wednesday and nineteen ODs." Dean replied, glancing back at Adelaide in the rear-view mirror to check that he had the right numbers. He happened to glance at the angel beside her and saw that he was gazing at Adelaide, not paying the least bit of attention to the case's developments. "That's way out of the seasonal batting average." Dean just about managed not to roll his eyes at the archangel and looked back out the window. It had started to rain whilst they waited in the car, which Adelaide had told him she was very happy about. Apparently the only thing she missed from home apart from her family was the rain, which he didn't understand but didn't dare question her on it.

"Yeah, if there's a pattern here, it ain't just love. It's a hell of a lot bigger than we thought." Sam muttered, aggravation clear in his voice. They were all stumped by the case, which Dean didn't like at all. He hated not knowing but he kept reassuring himself that they would figure it out. They'd never walked away from a case before and they certainly weren't about to start now.

"Yeah, alright. We'll see you in ten." He hung up the phone and sighed deeply, his gaze following a raindrop as it slid down the driver's window. Adelaide chewed her lip as she tried to recall any of her past cases that were similar to this one, but she came up blank. She turned back to Gabriel as Dean started the car.

"Any ideas yet, mate?" She asked him over the loud purr of the Impala. Gabriel catalogued her use of the affectionate name with all the other weird things that she'd said or done that day, but didn't call her out on it just yet. He wanted to gather some more evidence before he made a final conclusion on the matter. Maybe he could be a hunter after all, he thought.

"Not yet." He replied honestly, but he'd never been one to worry about what he didn't know. "It's certainly a thinker." The archangel leaned forward in his seat to speak to Dean. Adelaide momentarily panicked when she saw he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, but soon remembered that he was an angel and a car crash would do him about as much damage as a splinter would her. "What about you, Deano? Are you as baffled as you look?"

"You're a guest in this car. Remember that." The hunter shot back, turning his head slightly to growl at the angel. Gabriel raised his hands in surrender and sat back in his seat. He twisted from side to side so that he sunk down in the old leather, trying to get himself comfortable. He'd only been in the Impala a few times, but even he could admit it was a nice car.

"Told you, didn't it." Adelaide gave him a toothy grin to match her snide remark, which he found himself enjoying very much. It wasn't often that she smiled at him so freely, maybe he should appreciate her new cordiality while it lasted.

"Shut up, buttercup." He muttered in reply but he was grinning too. Adelaide sighed as she too sank into her seat, resting her eyes for a moment. She hadn't had much sleep the night before and she'd been on her feet all day. She was pretty tired but would never tell anyone.

"Where've you been recently, then?" She asked him. She always liked chatting to the archangel, even if he was a little difficult sometimes. But the sound of the rain and the comfortable seat had relaxed her no end and she felt tranquil enough to put up with him. "Feels like I haven't seen you since the 70s." Gabriel snorted at her joke, shaking his head slightly. She was hard to get to know, but completely worth it.

"Oh, you know. Checking perimeters and staking territories." Adelaide opened her eyes and frowned at him curiously. What did he mean by that? Gabriel allowed himself a second to enjoy the dark blue of her eyes before he continued. "Every so often, I have a quick look-see. Make sure there's no one on your tails." Adelaide was surprised by this, she hadn't known that he kept watch over them. How long had he been doing this? Why did he do it? What was in it for him? A hundred questions rushed around inside her head but she didn't have a chance to ask any of them.

"You're protecting us? From the angels?" Dean cut in. He didn't sound like he believed him. Gabriel shrugged vaguely, his eyes never leaving Adelaide's. Her lips were parted slightly, her eyebrows drawn together. She looked confused, but at the same time shocked. Maybe she didn't believe him either.

"From whoever decides you're a tasty target." He told the two hunters. Dean moved the car round a sharp bend and all its human passengers leaned to the side. But Gabriel stayed still, like a gyroscope. He wasn't affected by outside forces, he remained still whilst the universe moved around him. He'd always been rather proud of his solitary life, wandering freely wherever and whenever he pleased. Gabriel wasn't held back by family or friends, he just was. But now he'd chosen to protect this little group of humans who were fighting to save the Earth he loved so much.

Adelaide watched him as they swerved around yet another corner, and was suddenly reminded of just who he was. Gabriel was a powerful supernatural being with inestimable power. And he was helping them. He _wanted_ to help them. It was difficult to get her head around why such a person would voluntarily assist them on cases, eat with them, help them on their quest to stop the Apocalypse, sit in the back of an old car in the rain and talk to her about nothing. Adelaide suddenly felt a lot more grateful for all that Gabriel did for them but couldn't find a way to express such gratitude.

"Thank you." She said eventually, her words coming out in a low whisper. Gabriel frowned at her curiously. He couldn't understand why she was looking at him so strangely. He much preferred it when she was rolling her eyes or elbowing him in the ribs. If he'd been allowed to read her mind, he would have, but he was determined to keep the promise he'd made, even if he'd never kept one before. He smiled at her, shaking his head slightly, completely unaware of the turmoil going on inside her head.

"Don't sweat it, hot stuff." He told her eventually, giving her an unabashed wink. He was still Gabriel, still her ridiculous friend who flirted with her shamelessly, but Adelaide would remember the way he looked right at that moment for the rest of her comparatively short life. They talked quietly for the rest for their journey, making jokes and swapping hollow insults, but little did Gabriel know just how differently his friend viewed him now.

* * *

By the time they arrived back at the motel, it had grown dark. Adelaide got changed into some more comfortable clothing, all the while shouting at Gabriel through the locked bathroom door, warning him not to come in otherwise she would get creative with the knife in her boot. It appeared that although she had a new-found respect for him and had been considerably warmer towards him lately, she still wasn't frightened of threatening the angel. Just after she came out of the bathroom, showered and fresh-faced, and walked back into the Winchesters' room, Sam came stumbling through the door after her.

"You're not going to believe this." He cried, holding up a battered briefcase for them all to see. Adelaide stared at the hunter then glanced to his brother to see he looked just as surprised. Sam was panting heavily, his eyes wide. He hurriedly explained what had just happened to him and they listened in stunned silence. Then Sam carefully placed the briefcase on the table as if it were a bomb and took a step back. Dean joined him, standing at his brother's side instinctively. Adelaide hung back, not wanting to get too close to the briefcase. She had a bad feeling about it, especially after hearing Sam's crazy story. She took a step backwards and stood beside Gabriel, who was staring at the case as if transfixed.

"What the hell does a demon got to do with this, anyway?" Dean asked, though there was only a little anger to his tone. He was looking at his brother, trying to gauge how he was feeling. Getting attacked by a demon was enough to shake anyone up, but what with Sam's past, he knew he was probably feeling a lot worse than he looked.

"Believe me, I got no idea." Sam said, his voice uncharacteristically grave. Beside her, Adelaide could hear Gabriel's breathing growing shallow. Glancing up at him, she saw he was still staring at the briefcase as if he couldn't look away. His skin prickled, the hairs on the back of his neck rose, his borrowed human heart pounding. Although he'd had his vessel for a long time, such a feeling of unease was relatively alien. His senses were all going into overdrive, both that of his vessel and his own.

"I don't like this at all, sweetheart." He murmured to Adelaide, who was also starting to grow anxious. She shivered as a chill ran over her skin and she moved closer to the archangel without even thinking about it.

"Let's crack her open." Dean decided. Somehow he managed a smile, despite the severity of the situation. "What's the worst that could happen, right?" He asked Sam, who didn't seem to find it quite as funny as his brother. Adelaide watched fearfully as the Winchesters bent down so they were level with the briefcase, reaching for the latches on either side of the handle. She wanted to tell them to stop but her voice was lost in her anticipation. Gabriel was practically bristling next to her, she could sense his discomfort. The brothers paused then pressed a button each. The case suddenly sprang open and a blinding white light shot out in all directions.

"Whoa!" The Winchesters each took a few steps away from the briefcase, shielding their eyes from the burning glow emanating from the case. Adelaide heard Gabriel gasp, his eyes wide and frightened. Or maybe it wasn't fear, but fascination. Adelaide couldn't look at the briefcase without squinting, but Gabriel was staring at the extraordinary light, his eyes shining and his mouth agape. Then the glow vanished as fast as it had appeared. The hunters all drew in a long breath, blinking quickly as they tried to get their sight back.

"What the hell was that?" Dean barked, his hands raised as if he was still shielding himself from the light.

"It's a human soul." Everyone but Gabriel turned around at the new voice and were surprised to see Castiel standing in the centre of the room. In his hands he held a paper bag from a fast food place that Adelaide didn't recognise, but her focus was directed more at the archangel by her side. His jaw was tensed, his hands at his sides balled into fists. "It's starting to make sense." Cas said as he took an enormous bite of his burger.

"What about that makes sense?" Sam laughed incredulously.

"And when did you start eating?" Dean added, frowning as Cas took another piece out of his food. He chewed ravenously, as if he hadn't eaten in weeks. He raised his burger and nodded at it.

"Exactly. My hunger. It's a clue, actually." He replied, before taking another bite. Adelaide watched him as he continued to eat, starting to feel a little nervous. Even Castiel had been affected by whatever it was that they were hunting. She was sure it was the cause of their strange behaviour. What had come over them all?

"For what?"

"This town is not suffering from some love-gone-wrong effect." Castiel began to explain as he crossed the room. "It's suffering from hunger. Starvation, to be exact. Specifically… Famine." Adelaide began to feel sick at his words. She had expected some kind of evil spirit, a bad omen, a trickster, something she had dealt with previously and knew they could defeat. But this… This was unlike anything she'd come across before.

"Famine? As in the horseman?" Sam repeated, scoffing at the idea. But Castiel was deadly serious. Gabriel took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall behind them. As he did so, he brushed against Adelaide and she looked around to him. She tried to meet his eyes but he was gazing worriedly at the floor. She leaned beside him, making sure to rest her arm against his. He looked down at her and for once couldn't summon a smile. She had never seen him look so scared. "I thought famine meant starvation, like as in, you know, food." Sam continued, he still couldn't believe they were dealing with a horseman. Cas nodded, gesturing with his half-eaten burger.

"Yes, absolutely. But not just food. I mean, everyone seems to be starving for something: sex, attention, drugs, love..." As he listed off his theories, Dean began to pace the room, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Well, that explains the puppy-lovers that Cupid shot up." He muttered. Although it was good to get a few mysteries cleared up, Castiel's revelation dampened any hint of cheerfulness.

"Right." The angel nodded. "The cherub made them crave love, and then Famine came and made them rabid for it." Adelaide felt a chill wash over her at his words. They were dealing with something way above their paygrade. Gabriel seemed to realise this too because he was more resigned than she had ever seen him. He hadn't said a word in a good five minutes which had to be some kind of record for him.

"Okay, but what about you? I mean, since when do angels secretly hunger for White Castle?" Dean asked Cas, walking towards the angel again and gesturing to the greasy paper bag in his hands. Cas looked a little embarrassed at this and turned away from the brothers.

"It's my vessel, Jimmy. His, uh, appetite for red meat has been touched by Famine's effect." He told them quietly. Dean frowned curiously at the angel, still not sure he had the situation straight in his head.

"So, Famine just rolls into town and everybody goes crazy?" Castiel swallowed another hunk of burger but it seemed to take quite an effort. Apparently, Gabriel wasn't the only one who was sick with worry.

"And then will come Famine riding on a black steed. He will ride into the land of plenty and great will be the horseman's hunger, for he is hunger." Castiel recited the verse from memory. He spoke the words with such resonance, as if they were burned into his very bones. "His hunger will seep out and poison the air." Adelaide recalled some of his words from her childhood. She had never been a God-fearing woman, more of a respectful spectator. Her parents had never been big fans of the Bible either, certainly not the violent and blood-soaked Old Testament, but her heart thudded at the thought of one of its nightmarish characters stalking the Earth. "Famine is hungry. He must devour the souls of his victims." Castiel concluded for them, his voice low and grave.

"So, that's what was in the briefcase? The Twinkie dude's soul?" Dean realised, and even he sounded a little nervous. Castiel chewed his burger again before answering.

"Lucifer has sent his demons to care for Famine. To feed him, make certain he'll be ready." Adelaide frowned at Gabriel but he was unresponsive. His eyes hadn't left the floor since Castiel entered the room. If she didn't know him better, she would've said he was afraid.

"Ready for what?" Dean asked, and Adelaide really wished he hadn't. Although she hadn't paid much attention to Revelations, she remembered what the presence of a horseman meant for her, her loved ones, and her world. Castiel's expression was abnormally grim as he replied to the hunter.

"To march across the land."

* * *

A darkness hung over the heads of the three hunters for the remainder of the day. Soon after Castiel's forbidding news, Adelaide slipped back to her room across the hall. She wasn't far from the boys if they needed her, but she needed some time to think. They would only try and cheer her up, and sometimes, one needed time to worry before taking action. A little while later, Gabriel found her sitting on the floor, leaning her back up against the wall. She had her legs drawn up to her chest, her chin resting on top of her knees. Interestingly, she didn't look around when he entered. He supposed she knew who it would be without looking up.

"You okay?" He asked her quietly. Finally, Adelaide looked at him. She frowned, her pretty face all scrunched up with confusion. It was him she was worried about, and yet he was checking on her? He had been deeply affected by Castiel's words and yet now he only seemed worried about her.

"I'll be fine." She replied, though her quiet voice didn't sound particularly convincing. Gabriel stuck his hands in his jacket pockets, his mouth all twisted. He wasn't sure what to do with himself and he certainly didn't know what he could do to comfort her. Eventually, after a considerable silence, he decided his usual light-heartedness would be the best way to continue.

"You're on the floor." He pointed out. Adelaide finally began to smile, if only slightly. She sighed and stretched out her legs in front of her.

"It's been one of those days I'm afraid." She replied, his cheery tone reflected in her own voice. She patted the floor beside her. "Take a seat." He hesitated at first, but it didn't take him long to accept her invitation. They sat in a companionable silence for a few minutes, leaning against each other as the day's events settled over them. Then Adelaide did something that surprised him. "C'mere." She murmured as she leaned closer and slipped an arm around his back. She leaned her head against his shoulder as she let out a deep sigh, her eyes beginning to close. Gabriel wasn't sure what to do. He'd never been so close to her before. She had certainly never reached out to him in this way. He tentatively rested an arm around her shoulders, inadvertently pulling her closer against him. Despite his caution, he greatly enjoyed the contact. It wasn't often that he was fortunate enough to get so close to humans, but to have Adelaide leaning against him in this way, he could hardly believe his luck.

"You've been unusually affectionate today." He said softly. Adelaide felt his voice rumble in his chest and smiled to herself.

"I hadn't noticed." She replied, just as quietly. Gabriel chuckled at that, which Adelaide enjoyed greatly.

"Do you think that could be Mr. Famine?" He asked, but then he immediately wished he hadn't. Adelaide pulled away from him, but although the loss of contact was minimal, he missed her warmth dearly. She stared at the angel as if only just comprehending what she'd done. She realised that she had been friendlier than usual towards him, but that couldn't be because of the horseman, could it? Surely not?

"I don't... I don't think I..." She tried to come up with a valid excuse for her actions but couldn't think of anything. Gabriel was looking at her inquisitively, as if she were a puzzle to be solved.

"Do you starve yourself of affection?" He asked, his head titled to the side in a way that reminded her of Cas. "Because I've noticed you're not too big on the hugs thing." Adelaide sighed deeply and looked away from him.

"Gabriel, this isn't really the time to bare my soul." She muttered, although she wasn't angry. She was just tired and this whole horseman thing had her worried. What she needed was to be comforted, not questioned, but Gabriel seemed to want to do both. His eyes flicked to the door, then back at her, eyebrows raised. Adelaide realised he was looking in the direction of the dead man's soul and shook her head. "Don't make the joke I know you're going to make." Gabriel chuckled at her sharp warning. This was much more like her usual self: telling him off, making him laugh, shaking her head in exasperation. It was good to see she was still connected to her normal grumpy self, but he couldn't help but like having her in his arms. He hoped that after this was all over, she would retain some of her new-found agreeableness.

"You can talk to me." He murmured, close to her ear. Adelaide tried not to shudder as his warm breath brushed over her skin. She wondered what he starved himself of, what he hungered for.

"I know." She told him, and she gave him an honest smile. "It just takes me a while to be comfortable around someone." She poked him in the ribs and laughed when he pretended to be hurt. "You should feel honoured." Gabriel laughed quietly to himself and readjusted his arm around her shoulders, pulling her back against him. She didn't resist and she leaned against his shoulder once more.

"I promise you, I do." He said softly, making Adelaide smile. They stayed that way for what felt like hours, listening to the wind and rain howl outside. They weren't disturbed, which was a turn-up for the books, but then Adelaide realised something just as she began to drift off to sleep.

"If you tell anyone about this, I'll break your knees."

"Understood."


	16. Chapter 16

When Adelaide awoke, Gabriel was nowhere to be seen. This wasn't surprising, she didn't think he ever stayed anywhere for long. What did come as a shock was that she was tucked up in bed, the duvet pulled right up to her chin. She smiled to herself and sent him a quick prayer of thanks. She didn't know if he received any of her little messages, but they made her feel better. Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, she saw that she'd only been asleep for an hour or so. Yet another surprise. She'd never been able to take naps, maybe this town was affecting her a lot more than just her new cravings.

She sat up and slipped her legs out from under the covers. Thankfully, she was fully clothed. She didn't think she could take the embarrassment of Gabriel seeing her Star Wars underwear (Lee bought them for her as a joke but she secretly really liked them). Adelaide rubbed the sleep from her eyes and went back across the hall to find the Winchesters, Cas and Gabriel still discussing Famine. She wondered how much she'd missed, but quickly decided she didn't care. They would catch her up on anything important. Gabriel smiled at her and patted the space on the bed next to him. His intentions seemed noble and there was no suggestive hint to his smile so she gladly took the offered seat.

"So, what, this whole town is just gonna eat, drink, and screw itself to death?" Sam called from the bathroom. He was washing his face, trying to cool himself down. His encounter with the demon hadn't been particularly intense but for some reason, he felt panicked, like his body was going into shock. He'd only felt this terrible a few times before, he'd hoped never to experience it again. He stared at his pale skin. The fluorescent light in the bathroom made his reflection seem even more stretched and haggard than he felt.

"We should stop it." Castiel said as he fished around in his bag for any leftover scraps of food. Dean snorted.

"Yeah? That's a great idea. How?" He shot back, still watching the angel warily. He was acting very strangely and they needed him in top condition, but Castiel seemed to be more interested in his food than the situation at hand. He shrugged at the eldest Winchester.

"How did you stop the last horseman you met?" He asked as he loudly chewed on his food. Gabriel heard Adelaide make a startled sound and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Her mouth had dropped open, her dark blue eyes wide.

"You've come across these guys before?" Her indignant cry surprised the boys and they all looked around. Finally, Dean nodded sheepishly. Adelaide raised her hands in the air then dropped them in exasperation. "And you didn't think to tell me?"

"It never came up!" Dean said defensively, at which Adelaide merely rolled her eyes. He walked over to where his jacket was hanging up and pulled something from his pocket. "War got his mojo from this ring. And after we cut it off, he just tucked tail and ran." He told them, holding up the ring for them all to see. "And everybody that was affected, it was like they woke up out of a dream." Adelaide felt a little relieved. Destroying this guy didn't sound as difficult as she'd feared it would be. "You think Famine's got a class ring, too?"

"I know he does." Castiel assured him, chewing on the last of his hamburger. Adelaide wrinkled her nose as she watched him lick the grease from his fingers.

"Well, okay. Let's track him down and get to chopping." Adelaide nodded at Dean and stood up from the bed, ready for action. She wasn't going to tell the brothers how weak she felt, or how worried she was about getting closer to Famine. She feared that the nearer she got to the horseman, the worse she would feel and soon she wouldn't be able to control her hunger. Gabriel followed her towards the door, chuckling at the way his brother and Dean were arguing like an old married couple.

"What are you, the Hamburglar?"

"I've developed a taste for ground beef."

"Well, have you even tried to stop it?"

"I'm an angel. I can stop anytime I want." None of them noticed that Sam when started to hyperventilate in the bathroom. His skin was shining with sweat. His throat burned with a thirst he hadn't felt in a long while. His heart was pounding so loud he was sure they should be able to hear it.

"Whatever. Guys, let's roll." Dean shook his head at the angel and began to follow Adelaide and Gabriel. Sam called after his brother just as they were walking out of the door, but neither the hunter nor the archangel wanted to intrude and left them to it. Adelaide dug her hands into her jacket pockets as they meandered slowly over to the Impala.

"Have you been getting any, you know, urges?" She asked. It was only when he smirked that Adelaide realised her mistake.

"No more than usual." He replied, wriggling his eyebrows at her. She scoffed and pushed him away, making him chuckle. After a moment, he answered her question properly. "Nah, my vessel's been empty for a long time, he ain't craving anything." Gabriel shrugged, swinging his arms carelessly as he walked. He clearly wasn't as nervous as she was, at least not outwardly. She couldn't decide whether he was putting on a front, or whether he truly didn't fear the horseman. Either way, it didn't lessen her own anxieties about what they were about to do. "I do whatever I want, whenever I want. I'm a pretty satisfied guy." She laughed at that, which pleased Gabriel. He could sense how frightened she was, he wanted to help her relax. She was no good as a hunter if she was scared and he'd certainly like her to feel safe with him. He would do everything he could to protect her, but he was no good with words and he didn't think she'd appreciate such a confession.

"Hm, well if you do get a hankering, tell me straight away, yeah?" Adelaide told him. Her smile did little to hide the severity of her words. She truly meant it. She wanted to know when he started to feel the effect of Famine's poison, then she could help him as he'd helped her. Gabriel hopped up onto the hood of the Impala and beamed down at her.

"I promise." That seemed to be good enough for Adelaide and she smiled back at him in a way that made his stomach somersault. He wondered if it was because of Famine that her smile was so bright, or whether she truly meant to look at him in such a way. His heart pounded worryingly, yet still he hoped that her smile was genuine. If she continued to look at him like that, he knew he could bear the tightness it brought to his chest and the knots in his stomach. Adelaide turned at the sound of the motel door opening and saw that the boys were one short.

"Where's Sam?" She asked, turning her back on the archangel. Gabriel felt like a weight had lifted off his shoulders as soon as she looked away. It felt like he'd been holding his breath, and he tried to regain his composure as his human companions talked.

"He's gonna hang back, hold down the fort." Dean lied quickly. He didn't want to tell Adelaide about Sam's past, at least not yet. His thirst for demon blood had crept back into his system all thanks to everyone's favourite horseman. They'd unanimously yet somewhat begrudgingly decided that Sam should stay behind, his wrists shackled to the bathroom sink. Cas had even moved a wardrobe in front of the door, just in case. He wasn't going anywhere, but thankfully with Adelaide and Gabriel helping them, they weren't short of hands.

"Oh, okay." Adelaide clearly didn't believe him, but knew better than to question the hunter. "Are you sure?" She checked, meeting Dean's gaze and raising her eyebrows meaningfully. It was Cas who answered her.

"Extremely." He said it with his usual lack of emotion, which didn't help to ease Adelaide's worries, but Dean nodded in agreement and she felt a little better. She would never second guess the Winchesters, so long as they were certain they'd made the right decision. The strange group of people piled into the Impala, Cas and Dean in front, Adelaide and Gabriel in the back. The latter was quickly gathering his thoughts, trying to figure out what had happened to him. He had never felt so powerless before, and yet at the same time, he'd felt calm and carefree, and most importantly, at peace. He couldn't put his finger on what had come over him. Then, with a terrifying jolt, he realised what was happening. Though he was an archangel and could stave off the worst of Famine's powers, he knew his resistance was beginning to crumble. There was only one thing he deprived himself of, only one person he wouldn't let himself get too close to. If they didn't stop Famine soon, he would be powerless to resist her.

* * *

Dean led the way through the medical centre's endless halls until they were back where they'd started the day, at the morgue. They wanted to talk to Doctor Corman again, he'd been very helpful last time despite his strange, morbid sense of humour and they needed to see the latest victim who would have undoubtedly only just arrived. Before they could speak to the doc, however, Dean spotted someone he recognised.

"Hey, Marty." He called to the young doctor, who smiled when he saw the two hunters again. He didn't seem to mind that they were now in civilian clothes or that one agent had been swapped for a strange man in a trench coat. "Is Doctor Corman around?" Marty's face fell.

"You haven't heard?" He asked, his eyebrows drawing together in concern. Dean glanced at Adelaide beside him before he asked,

"Heard what?" Marty gestured for the three to follow him and led them down the hall. They were in the same cold, bleached room as earlier, but a new cadaver was lying on the table. Adelaide wrinkled her nose as they drew closer, not liking the sharp stench of sterilising liquid that flooded the room. Marty lifted a corner of the sheet covering the body to reveal the doctor, pale and lifeless.

"Guy's been dry for the last twenty years, but this morning, he left work, went home, and drank himself to death." The young doctor explained. From his tone, Adelaide knew Marty couldn't quite believe what had happened to him. Then she realised that the thick scent of alcohol wasn't from the cleaning solution, but from the man before them. It had soaked through his every fibre, so the poor man stank of a bar. Beside her, Castiel grunted.

"It's Famine." The angel said, making the doctor look up. He frowned at the angel as the two hunters tried not to roll their eyes.

"Pardon?" Marty asked, but before Castiel could elucidate, Dean stepped in.

"Would you give us a minute, please?" He asked the doctor, who obliged. He sent the angel another wary look before he left the room. Dean circled the body, shaking his head slightly. "Crap." He muttered. "I really kinda liked this guy." Adelaide shot the hunter an apologetic smile which he returned vaguely. Castiel raised his hands and settled them over the dead man's chest. He was silent for a moment as he closed his eyes, then suddenly,

"They haven't harvested his soul yet." He realised. Adelaide wanted to feel pleased, that meant they just had to wait for a demon to show up and follow him to his boss, but the man lying before her sobered any cheery thoughts.

"Well, if we want to play 'follow the soul' to get to Famine, our best shot starts with the doc, here." Dean said gruffly, thinking along the same lines. They left the clinic again, thanking Marty on their way out. Castiel disappeared just as they were walking out of the building, but the hunters hardly noticed. Gabriel was still sat in the back seat when they returned. He needed time to think. It wouldn't take long for Famine's hold on him to reach the next level. He needed to stay away from Adelaide as much as possible, but it was hard to remember why when she was sat so close to him.

They waited in silence, all eyes trained on St. James's clinic. Gabriel was trying to remember which sorry son of a bitch James had been, he should've paid more attention in the old days. Beside him, Adelaide was wondering if she should call Lee. She supposed they were on a stake out but it was a pretty casual one, she should be able to call her partner without giving the game away. She wanted to tell her what they were up to. She still wasn't used to hunting without Lee, especially with something as huge as a horseman. Before she could take out her phone, Castiel suddenly appeared in the passenger seat, a new bag of hamburgers in his hands. Dean sighed in exasperation.

"Are you serious?" He watched with acute disgust as the angel took an enormous bite out of the burger, sauce and meat covering his mouth.

"These make me very happy." Cas chuckled to himself as he took another huge bite. Gabriel shook his head slightly at his little brother but said nothing, while Adelaide smiled at the angel's words.

"How many is that?"

"I lost count. It's in the low hundreds."

"It's making me hungry, actually." Adelaide grumbled as she eyed his meal enviously. She wondered if she could get close enough to steal one of the angel's burgers without him noticing. Dean's eyes widened and he turned around in his seat to look at his friend.

"You mean..?" He asked fearfully. Adelaide's hand froze halfway to the greasy paper bag, embarrassed about being caught. She looked confused for a moment, then realised what Dean meant.

"No, I'm just hungry." She reassured him as she settled back in her seat, giving up on her heist. Dean raised his eyebrows at the hunter.

"So you're not feeling Famine's effect yet?" He asked, curious as to why Cas and Sam seemed to be the only ones touched by the horseman's poison. Adelaide didn't answer for a moment, sending a furtive glance to Gabriel. He met her gaze and she looked away again, her cheeks beginning to burn.

"A little." She replied quietly, turning her head to look out of the window. She couldn't look Dean in the eye, her embarrassment would only double. She didn't want him to know that she'd been cuddling up to the archangel, desperate for some kind of attention, some comfort, which she hadn't realised she starved herself of. Dean frowned at her evasive answer but didn't push her, he didn't want to pry. He turned his attentions to the archangel beside her, who seemed to be looking everywhere but at Adelaide.

"And you?" He asked him. For once, he didn't get a snarky reply. Gabriel simply shrugged, his expression without its usual mirth. "Oh, now you don't feel like talking." He muttered, turning back around in his seat again with a weary sigh. Dean couldn't understand what had come over his two companions, they were usually chatting away happily even in the most dire of situations. But if they were both quiet, maybe they were scared. He'd thought it would a cold day in hell before he actually missed Gabriel's incessant chatter, but now he wished that the archangel would say something to make them all feel less afraid.

"What I don't understand is... Where is your hunger, Dean?" The hunter looked across at the angel beside him.

"Huh?" Cas shrugged, his bright eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of demons.

"Well, slowly but surely, everyone in this town is falling prey to Famine, but so far, you seem unaffected." He told him, making Adelaide's skin prickle. Why was Dean the only one who was feeling normal? He was no stronger than the rest of them, so why was it taking so long for Famine to ensnare him?

"Hey, when I want to drink, I drink. When I want sex, I go get it. Same goes for a sandwich or a fight." The hunter replied, his words echoing what Gabriel had said to her earlier. Adelaide looked to the archangel and found him already gazing at her. She'd noticed him staring a few times, so that was nothing new. What was strange was that he usually looked away out of embarrassment. This time, his golden eyes met hers and they didn't falter. He smiled at her slightly, and with her new-found need for attention and comfort, she found herself smiling back.

"So... You're saying you're just well-adjusted?" Castiel summarised to which Dean let out a derisive snort.

"God, no. I'm just well-fed." Castiel nodded, he seemed to understand where he was coming from. He took another bite of his burger then nodded in the direction of the medical centre.

"Look, there." He said quietly, which made Adelaide finally tear her gaze away from Gabriel. She looked over his shoulder in the direction of the clinic and saw a man in a dark suit walking out of the automatic doors. He held in his hand a briefcase, no doubt encasing the soul of the unfortunate Doctor Corman. Dean didn't say a word as he started the engine, the old Impala purring as he guided them out of their hiding place and followed the creature through town.

* * *

The hunters and the angels pulled up outside a fast food restaurant, which seemed an unlikely place for a horseman to orchestrate his dastardly plans from, but Adelaide was too nervous to comment.

"Demons." Dean muttered to himself when he spotted two of the monsters guarding the door to the Biggerson's. He turned to Cas. "You want to go over the plan again?" The angel didn't reply, too interested in the tinfoil left over from his meal. Adelaide would have laughed if the situation weren't so dreadful. Dean grunted and nudged the angel. "Hey, Happy Meal. The plan?" Cas sighed deeply and looked up from the remnants of his food.

"I take the knife, I go in, I cut off the ring hand of Famine, and I meet you back here in the parking lot." He rattled off carelessly. Dean was silent for a moment before he let out a scornful laugh and looked away.

"Well, that sounds fool proof." He muttered. Adelaide took in a long, deep breath, trying to lessen the tightness in her chest. They were so close to the horseman now, she could feel his effect on her growing, like a weight on her shoulders getting steadily heavier. She wouldn't be able to bear it for long. When Dean turned back to Cas, he'd already disappeared. They waited in silence for a few seconds before Dean let out a groan. "This is taking too long." They all exited the Impala, trying to ignore the pressure building inside their heads, caused by the creature inside the restaurant before them. "Okay, you two, go around the back. I need you on lookout."

"Are you gonna be okay?" Adelaide knew Dean could take care of himself, but the horseman was strong and with Sam out of action, it wouldn't be an even fight. Dean nodded,

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He assured her, though he didn't sound particularly certain. He smiled thinly at his friend. "Stay safe."

"You too." She wasn't sure she could summon a smile so Adelaide clapped a hand down on his shoulder, squeezing encouragingly. Dean gave Gabriel a firm nod before he turned, squared his shoulders and stalked towards the restaurant. Adelaide watched him walk away before turning to the angel beside her. "Let's go." She said in a low voice. She took off in the opposite direction to Dean, jogging towards a dark alley next to the Biggerson's. Gabriel stayed close behind her. He wasn't used to taking orders, he'd never been a follower, but he was out of his element. This was a hunt and he had no idea what he was doing. What he did know was that the only way he and his friends were going to get out this unscathed was if he listened very carefully to everything Adelaide said. His usually bright and easy-going companion had slipped into hunter mode. Her eyes were steely and sharp, her movements purposeful. He wouldn't want to be in any nearby demons' shoes.

Adelaide led Gabriel through the dank dark alley, stepping over wide puddles and around bulging garbage bags. She kept her footsteps light, her movements minimal. She barely made a sound as they neared the end of the passage. Gabriel tried his best to copy the way she moved, stepping where she stepped and keeping his eyes on the horizon. As they crept closer to what little light seeped through at the end of the passageway, the hunter and the archangel stayed close, trying to ignore their fear of the unknown, the unpleasantness of the alleyway, and their hunger that was growing by the minute.

When they exited the alley, they found they were alone. While this came as something of a relief to Gabriel, it only made Adelaide more nervous. Something was wrong. There was a horseman not thirty feet from them, the place should be teeming with demons. They were standing in an empty courtyard, boarded by a tall wire fence. It was somewhere for the Biggerson's employees to relax and smoke while on their breaks, so there was nothing much to see. The wet earth compressed beneath Adelaide's feet so that it felt like she might sink. The rain had thankfully stopped, but its scent still hung heavily in the air.

"Okay," She murmured to her companion, whose sharp eyes were scanning their surroundings. "Let's get this show on the road." Gabriel watched as she dropped her duffel bag onto the cement steps leading up to the back door of the restaurant, the door they were guarding. They had to keep any and all demons from getting inside the diner. It was highly unlikely they'd try to get in through the front, what with an angel and a hunter standing sentinel. There was a side door to the kitchens in the alley, but the demons would sense their presence and come looking for them around the back where Adelaide and Gabriel were lying in wait. The hunter pulled a gun from her bag, checked the cylinder, and shoved it into her pocket. She pulled another more menacing looking pistol out next and removed the magazine first before she pushed it back in again, happy that it was fully loaded. A knife came next, long and jagged. This she slipped into her boot. She selected Sam's glinting angel blade which Dean had given to her and concealed it in the inside pocket of her jacket. Adelaide turned her head to look at her friend, he'd been silent for several minutes, and found he was watching her with no small amount of admiration.

"Have I ever told you how hot you look when you do that?" He said suddenly, which Adelaide smiled at even if she didn't think the timing was particularly appropriate.

"Gabriel, are you trying to take advantage of my new friendliness?" She teased as she turned back to her bag. She pulled out a few tubes of rock salt and poured an untidy semi-circle around the steps. She would take every precaution to make sure her friends inside the restaurant were safe.

"Would I do that?" Gabriel pressed a hand to his chest, pretending to be offended. Adelaide shook her head slightly at his words but said nothing more. She thought about spreading some salt over the entrance to the courtyard but decided against it. They wanted to tempt the demons in, a salt line would only ward them off. Even if she had wanted to add that final line of defence, Gabriel's head suddenly shot up, his eyes trained on the alleyway and she knew they'd run out of time. "They're close." He murmured, his teasing smile vanishing in a moment. Adelaide wished he'd kept his smile up, it would've been a great comfort. He was still staring at the alleyway, his gaze never faltering from the darkness. They wouldn't be able to see a demon until it was right in front of them. Adelaide's heart was pounding in her chest but she trusted her instincts and her friend. She had nothing to fear.

"Okay." She took a deep breath and squeezed the grip of her gun, finding some comfort in its familiarity. She looked to Gabriel, her eyebrows raised. "You've got my back, right?" The archangel tore his gaze away from the alley and finally offered her his trademark smirk.

"And more." He promised. Adelaide didn't even have time to roll her eyes. Just as the words left his lips, they heard footsteps crunching through the debris in the passage. The hunter and the archangel tensed, ready for the attack.

* * *

Dean tried to struggle against the demons who had him in their grasp, but it was no use. They led him out of kitchen and into the front of the restaurant where Cas was on his hands and knees in front of a troth filled with raw meat. He was pushing the stuff in, shoving it down his throat, unable to control himself.

"The other Mr. Winchester." Dean looked around at the new voice. In front of him, surrounded by a group of demon bodyguards, sat an impossibly old man. He was in a wheelchair, a cannula hung from his nose. His skin was sickly pale, and looked so old, he wouldn't be surprised if he was coated in a layer of dust. But Dean didn't care that he was facing a horseman, he was worried about his friend.

"What did you do to him?" He demanded, trying to look back at Cas, but his captors restricted his movements. His thoughts turned suddenly to Adelaide and Gabriel. Would they be able to fight off the demons if their hunger grew too strong? They couldn't be that far away, very soon they'd go the same way as Castiel.

"You sicced your dog on me. I just threw him a steak." The old man croaked. His voice sounded like he'd been gargling nails, it made Dean wince. But still the hunter stood strong. He may be outnumbered but he had skill and experience and, most importantly, snark.

"So this is your big trick, huh? Making people cuckoo for cocoa puffs?" He barked, holding the man's steady gaze.

"Doesn't take much, hardly a push." Said Famine. He smiled, revealing rows of crooked, yellowed teeth. "Oh, America. All-you-can-eat, all the time. Consume, consume." He snarled at the hunter. "A swarm of locusts in stretch pants. And yet, you're all still starving because hunger doesn't just come from the body, it also comes from the soul." Dean was starting to feel dizzy, probably because of the disgusting man in front of him. He tried to keep his head up, but it was getting more difficult by the second.

"It's funny, it doesn't seem to be coming from mine." He replied, fighting to keep his voice steady.

"Yes, I noticed that." Famine's white eyebrows drew together as he studied the hunter. "Have you wondered why that is? How you could even walk in my presence?"

"Well, I like to think it's because of my strength of character." Dean smirked, although it took some effort. Famine looked like he wanted to laugh at his words, but then his expression suddenly turned furious.

"I disagree." He moved towards the hunter, his old wheelchair whirring with the effort. Dean struggled as Famine reached out a gnarled hand but he couldn't move an inch. The horseman placed his hand on Dean's chest and he let out a cry of pain, but it was no use. Cas couldn't stop himself and Adelaide and Gabriel were fighting their own battle. He was alone. "Yes, I see. That's one deep, dark nothing you got there, Dean." Famine hummed as he rooted around inside Dean's head. "Can't fill it, can you? Not with food or drink. Not even with sex." He let out a dark cackle that only served to make Dean angrier.

"Oh, you're so full of crap."

* * *

As the footsteps drew steadily closer, Adelaide managed to pick them apart. She calculated that there were at least three demons coming their way, but she'd fought far worse odds before and she hadn't had an archangel on her side then. She glanced over at Gabriel, who looked more serious than she'd ever seen him. His back was straight, his stance strong. He looked like a hunter.

"You ready?" She asked him, her words coming out in an inadvertent whisper. Gabriel's golden eyes never moved away from the entrance to the courtyard.

"As I'll ever be." He replied, his voice just as low. She watched as he stepped away from the mouth of the alley, slipping out of the demons' sight. Adelaide was quick to figure out his plan but still she couldn't help quaking in her boots now that she was facing the enemy alone. She hid her gun inside her jacket just as the first of many demons stepped out into the yard. He looked surprised to see her and didn't attack immediately. His guard was down, he and his friends behind him had been laughing and joking between themselves. The first demon began to smile and sauntered up to her with no apparent reservations.

"Hey, pretty lady." He drawled, pulling off his sunglasses to reveal eyes that were so dark, she almost couldn't tell if he'd revealed his species or not. She thought him a rather stupid creature if he would try and flirt with a strange woman he'd found so close to his master but Adelaide decided to use his foolishness against him. She leaned her weight on one hip and gave the demon an enticing smirk.

"Hey." She replied in what she hoped was a sultry voice. She's never been very good at flirting but it seemed to do the trick. The demon grinned and came closer and closer until he was within striking distance. Adelaide gave him one last smile before she pulled out her gun and shot the demon square between the eyes. Gabriel wasted very little time and jumped in front of the remaining two creatures, placing a hand on each of their foreheads and executing them both with a burst of power. Behind him, the first demon groaned and tried to get to his feet, but Adelaide put a foot on his chest and forced him back onto the ground. She pulled out the angel blade and sent the demon the same way as his companions. She grunted and stepped away from the empty vessel, not wanting to look at what was left of the poor human. Gabriel was beaming at her from across the courtyard.

"That wasn't so bad." He said happily, but Adelaide knew it was too early to celebrate yet.

"There are more coming." She told him, all the while trying to estimate how many more of Lucifer's henchmen were hurrying through the alley. They would have heard the gunshot easily, she knew they had precious little time before the next wave. Just as she was warning Gabriel to take a step back from the mouth to the alleyway, a group of five or so demons suddenly came pouring out into the courtyard. Gabriel immediately pulled out his archangel blade and made quick work of one demon, all the while causing another to combust with just a flick of his hand. Adelaide wasn't having such an easy time of it, but she didn't have the breath to complain. The angel blade did far more damage than her gun, but she used the pistol to buy her some time. One demon fell after another and soon they were alone again. Gabriel sucked in a deep breath, beginning to tire despite his powers. It had been a long time since he'd fought in such a way, he was out of practice.

"You do this for a living?" He wheezed, his hands on his hips. Adelaide checked how she was doing for ammunition as she shook her head at him.

"It pays the bills." She joked, glancing up at her friend to see he was laughing quietly. They heard more footsteps approaching and dropped their smiles. Six more demons ran into the yard, Adelaide wished they'd stop increasing in numbers. She struck out at one demon, flattening him instantly. She reached behind her where she knew one creature was trying to sneak up on her. One quick swipe left him dead. Adelaide was starting to feel better, this was what she did well. She was in her element. They were going to make it out of this alive. One demon ran at her but before she could draw her blade again, Adelaide suddenly felt a crippling pain in her chest. She let out a shriek as she fell to her knees, clutching her middle. It felt like a fire had been set in her lungs and it was spreading fast. Gabriel heard her shout and whipped around, his strength instantly returning to him.

"Adelaide!" He cried when he saw her crumpled on the ground. He finished with the demon he had in a headlock then threw her to the ground. He ran to his friend's side, ignoring the demons that were closing in fast. "Adelaide, what's wrong?" The hunter only let out another scream of pain, her hands flying to her head, her fingers clenching in her hair. Gabriel growled before he span around and slew the last remaining demons in a matter of seconds.

"I can't-" Adelaide tried to speak but she could hardly breathe, the pain was so intense. _Alone, always alone. You'll always be alone. _Her lungs felt like they were going to explode. She let out another scream as more hideous thoughts expanded in her head._ You'll never be loved. You'll never be happy. Alone. Alone. Always alone. _"I can't-" She tried to speak again, but her throat felt like it was closing up. Gabriel kneeled in front of her, clutching her shoulders to try and get her to straighten up. She was curling into herself as the pain increased, her head bowed to the floor.

"They're gone." He told the hunter as he struggled to get her to look up at him. "Lady, c'mon, you gotta get up." Famine's hold on her had finally reached its full capacity.

"I can't." She cried, tears streaming down her dirt-splattered face. Usually she could expel such thoughts. She had Lee, she had the Winchesters, she wasn't lonely, not really. But she'd been afraid of being alone since she could remember. She always overthought it until it consumed her completely. She had her family and her friends, but every so often she would worry that they didn't really love her. She feared that one day, they would all leave and she'd be on her own. _Alone. So lonely. They don't care about you. You're nothing. You have nothing. _Gabriel didn't know what to do. There were more demons coming but he couldn't protect her and fight at the same time.

"Adelaide." He breathed, placing his hands on either side of her face. He forced her to look up at him and felt sick when he saw the fear in her eyes.

"I can't. I can't." She mumbled the words over and over again, shaking her head as more pain and fear racked her body. Gabriel was starting to panic but he tried to remain calm for her. He knew this was Famine's doing, which made it even worse. Soon, Adelaide's pain would be unbearable and she'd resort to anything to stop it.

"Yes, you can." He told her firmly. This pain, it was all in her head, no matter how much it hurt. He just had to get her away from the horseman. But how? There were more demons on their way and he couldn't let them get into the restaurant. Over his shoulder, he heard voices and turned to see two demons come running into the yard. They took one look at him then took off back down the alley. Gabriel was initially thankful for the extra time this bought him, but then he remembered the side door in the passage. It would be seconds before they were on Dean and Cas. He turned back to Adelaide who was still shivering in agony, her eyes red with tears. "Stay here, don't move." He ordered, before he jumped to his feet and ran down the alleyway.

He reached the door just as the two demons disappeared inside. He wrenched the door open and was immediately knocked to the floor as one of them punched him hard in the jaw. He swore and tried to stagger to his feet but someone kicked him in the ribs. The demon stooped to grab him by the throat but Gabriel twisted just in time and flipped him over. He kneeled over the creature and was just about to do away with him when movement caught his eye. He looked up to see a figure passing by the open door, headed for Adelaide. "No..." He breathed, realising too late what had happened. Only one demon had come through the door, the other had waited until the human was alone. Beneath him, the demon began to laugh.

"Tricked you, trickster." Gabriel looked down at the monster in his grip and couldn't believe how stupid he'd been. He killed the demon in a matter of seconds then ran back to the doorway. His heart stopped when he heard a scream.

"Adelaide!"

* * *

"Oh, you can smirk and joke and lie to your brother, lie to yourself, but not to me!" Famine grinned up at the eldest Winchester, his cold grey eyes shining in the moonlight. "I can see inside you, Dean. I can see how broken you are, how defeated. You can't win, and you know it. But you just keep fighting." Dean was shaking, he couldn't look away from the horseman. He knew he should try to fight his captors, he needed to save his friends, but he felt weak, lifeless. "Just... Keep going through the motions. You're not hungry, Dean, because inside, you're already... Dead." The truth resounded throughout the restaurant, like a heavy stone dropped into a still pond. Dean felt cold all over, like he couldn't breathe.

"Let him go." Even Famine seemed surprised by the new voice. All heads turned to see Sam Winchester standing by the door. Dean felt his stomach drop when he saw the blood staining his brother's mouth. Famine began to smile when he saw the man.

"Sam." He greeted him warmly, stretching out his frail arms in welcome. Dean could see the darkness in his little brother's eyes, the power that now coursed through him was unmatchable.

"Sammy, no." He murmured, but he didn't respond. Sam was staring at Famine, a clear look of contempt on his face. A few demons moved forward to trap him as they had Dean but Famine raised a hand.

"Stop!" He ordered, and the demons stilled. Dean looked on in shock as Famine gestured for them to take a step back. "No one lays a finger on this sweet little boy."

* * *

Gabriel had never flown so fast in his entire life, not when he was a messenger, not when he was a soldier, not even for his father. He landed a few feet from Adelaide and when he saw her, his heart dropped in his chest. The last demon was still standing over her, a knife in his hands. He looked up when he heard Gabriel arrive but he was dead before he could even move. Gabriel kicked the creature's lifeless vessel away from Adelaide and stared down at her in shock.

"Lady?" He breathed. The hunter was lying on her side, her eyes closed. Blood pooled on the soft ground. "No, no, no, no." He knelt down beside her and gingerly touched her cheek. She was stone cold. "Adelaide?" He waved a hand over her, checking for any signs of life. He could've cried when he picked up the weak yet determined beat of her heart. She was still alive. He let out a sigh of relief and began to turn her over but thought better of it. There were gashes and cuts all over her body, from head to toe. He could tell that one of her legs was broken and her collarbone fractured. Blood seeped through her shirt and he could see an enormous wound in her stomach. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, trying to remain as calm as possible. Finally, her eyes flickered open but they had lost their shine. "Adelaide." He kept saying her name, hoping that she would respond but she just stared up at him blankly. Whatever horrors Famine had made her see had passed now. The horseman was probably distracted, which wasn't good news either. Gabriel was at a loss for words, all he could do was squeeze her hand and hope. At last, her split, bloody lips parted and she managed a few words.

"It's okay, I'm fine." She reassured him, which Gabriel almost laughed at. She was certainly not fine.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He shook his head, the words tumbling from his mouth without him even thinking them. Adelaide could see very little, it was late now and the stars were out. She could just about make out Gabriel against the night sky, but his eyes, they were the only thing she could see clearly.

"You didn't tell Dean how Famine had affected you." She whispered. She began to tremble, a movement that shuddered through her whole body. She felt unbearably cold but didn't quite know why. She was in an excruciating amount of pain but something was keeping her going. She supposed that was Gabriel and his grace, whether he knew what he was doing or not. "Why not?" The archangel shook his head, there was no need to talk about this now.

"Adelaide." He murmured again, as if it were the only word he knew. He wanted to fly her out of there, somewhere safe and warm where she could be patched up. But his grace was all but gone, save for a few traces meant for reserve power. He'd been stupid, he'd used up all his juice trying to ward off Famine's poison but now he knew he would give into his hunger if it meant she would be safe. Adelaide tried to move but could only manage to shift a little closer to him. Gabriel wrapped an arm around her as best as he could without doing her further injury.

"What do you starve yourself of, Gabriel?" Adelaide asked softly. Gabriel wished he could've answered her. Even if he'd been brave enough to tell her, Adelaide's eyes slid closed after her question. Gabriel shook his head, trying to revive her again.

"No, please." He damned every demon that had ever walked the planet. He damned the horseman who sat not ten feet away from him. And finally, he damned his father and his brothers, who had caused all this in the first place.

"Adelaide?" He looked up when he heard Dean's voice. The brothers were making their way through the alleyway. Gabriel salvaged some hope at the sight of the Winchesters. Perhaps all was not lost.

"Help me!" He cried as the brothers entered the courtyard. They froze at the sight of their fellow hunter lying on the ground. They'd felt victorious as they exited Biggerson's. They had the next ring. But now, all that nervous joy had dissipated. They helped Gabriel lift their fallen comrade and carried her to the Impala. Dean slammed his foot down on the accelerator. He didn't stop to give way, or for traffic lights, he just drove and drove. Sam was next to him in the passenger seat but he was looking at Adelaide stretched out on the back seat. Gabriel had her head in his lap, her hand still clutched in his.

"What happened?" Dean called back to the archangel. He was furious with Gabriel for letting her get hurt, but right at that moment, his concern for the hunter was taking over. He could be angry later. Right now, Adelaide needed them to stay calm.

"Demons, they tricked me." Gabriel replied. The Winchesters had never seen him look so terrified. "We got separated." He kept shaking his head, as if he couldn't believe what was happening. "I thought she'd be okay." He mumbled as he gazed down at his friend.

"You left her alone?" Dean realised, his voice rising in anger. Beside him, Sam was still having a hard time. He had a lid on his hunger for now, but very soon, they'd need to do something about him. Dean couldn't believe what had happened. Between his brother and Adelaide, he could hardly think with all the worry coursing through him. "Why can't you just heal her?"

"I'm all out of juice. Wasted on those scumbags." Explained Gabriel. He hated that he had the power to fix her but it was out of reach. He wouldn't be able to help her until he was fully charged. He stroked Adelaide's pale cheek, praying that she hung on to what little life she had left in her.

"You mean..?" Sam began. He felt awful, like he wanted to rip the world apart with his bare hands, but knowing that one of his closest friends was in trouble was helping clear the red fog that clouded his mind.

"If we don't get her back to Bobby's..." Dean's fingers gripped the steering wheel as he trailed off, not wanting to think about what that would mean for his friend. Sam looked to his brother, his chest heaving as he kept back his hunger.

"Drive fast."

* * *

They burst through the door of Bobby Singer's house, Sam leading the way as Gabriel and Dean carefully carried Adelaide through the halls. They headed for the library, all the way shouting for their uncle. They settled her down on the old carpet, pushing the tables and piles of books out of the way to make room. When they got no reply, Dean began to panic.

"They must still be out." He realised. Gabriel stared at the hunter, his eyes wide and fearful. Then he looked down at his friend, swallowing thickly as he took in her injuries. The archangel knew they had very little time left. His grace had recharged a little, but it would mean that she would be in an unbearable amount of pain. He supposed that would just have to be enough. He reached forward and gently shook her, trying to get her to open her eyes again

"Adelaide?" He called to her and thankfully, she managed to crack an eye open.

"Ow!" She cried as all the agony from her wounds suddenly came screaming back. She swore for a good minute as she tried to get her head around what hurt and what didn't. She blinked up at her friends as they gathered around her. "What... What's going on? I don't..." She tried to sit up but gasped when her chest burned.

"Stay still." Dean warned her, placing a hand on her shoulder to gently push her back down again. Adelaide raised her head, trying to take stock of all her injuries without moving too much. She looked a little worse for wear, that's for sure. Now that she was conscious, Gabriel began to move her arms and legs so that she was comfortable, avoiding the bones he knew were broken.

"Okay, Lady, listen up." He said to her, keeping his voice clear and level to help her relax. "You've been through the wars, sugar, but I'm gonna put you back together again if it kills me." Dean watched in silence as the archangel moved a hand over her, trying to figure out how much power he would actually need to fix her up completely. It was more than he had in him but that didn't matter. Adelaide moaned, making Gabriel look up sharply. He moved from her feet to her head and took her hand in his. "What is it? Where does it hurt?" He murmured, his eyes quickly flicking over her body to see what was the most damaged. Adelaide only grimaced and closed her eyes as more pain washed over her.

"I really liked this shirt." She told him miserably. Gabriel looked down at her and smiled sadly.

"I know, gorgeous. I know." He said quietly, giving her hand a squeeze. Adelaide sighed and leaned her head back as more pain shot through her. It seemed to zigzag like lightening through her body and all she could do was lie back and take it. She had her friends close by and Gabriel was holding her hand. She would be fine.

"C'mon then, get fixin'." Dean prompted the archangel, who looked considerably less flustered now that Adelaide was awake and talking. The hunter suddenly let out another cry of pain and Gabriel moved faster.

"Okay. It's okay, gorgeous, I gotcha, I gotcha." He let go of her hand to begin the healing process. He reached behind him to grab a couch pillow then slipped it under her head and made sure she was comfortable before he placed a hand on her stomach. "There, shhh. You're doing awesome, young Skywalker. There you go." He glanced at Dean, then Sam, who was standing above them, still stained with blood. The archangel gritted his teeth and looked back to Adelaide. "Darlin', I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm low on juice." He murmured. "I might not be able to-"

"That's okay. Stop focusing on pain relief and just get healing." Adelaide interrupted him, very eager to not die. Gabriel wasn't so sure. The pain she was in now was only half of what it would be like without him helping her through it. He didn't like the idea of her being in such agony.

"But-"

"Gabriel, it's okay." Adelaide opened her eyes again and attempted a smile. "I trust you." The archangel froze. She had trusted him tonight when he'd left her to chase after the last demons. She'd trusted him to not let her get hurt. He was supposed to have her back. But he couldn't focus on that now, there were far more pressing matters to attend to. Gabriel gently pulled her shredded shirt up away from her body and carefully ripped it in two, exposing her chest and stomach. The Winchesters and the archangel could barely hold back their looks of disgust and fright.

"Woah." Dean breathed. Gabriel suspicions had been correct. Her stomach was practically one giant gash. Her collarbone was shattered, the skin around her neck blackened and bruised. If that wasn't enough, there were a hundred tiny scars scratched into her skin, from her neck right down to her hips. The demon had enjoyed his attack very much. The boys were still staring in horror at the mess of injuries when Adelaide opened her eyes.

"Hey, get stitching, mate." She scolded Gabriel, who finally tore his gaze away from her injures. "You can stare at me topless anytime." Despite the severity of the situation, Gabriel wriggled his eyebrows at her, determined to keep her smiling.

"You promise?" He asked and Adelaide closed her eyes again, a hint of a smile fighting her grimace. "Right then, princess, let's get you patched up." Gabriel rubbed his hands together then held them over her poor, tattered body. He hummed to himself as he closed his eyes, then he smiled again and reached for her. "Well, your X-ray shows that all your gross, squishy bits are A-OK, so we can lower the hood. Now, don't get too excited, but I'm gonna need to start way up here." He placed his fingers just below her bra and Adelaide laughed through the pain.

"I hate you." She muttered, but she was grateful for his good bedside manner. Gabriel ran his hand down to her stomach where her afflictions were beginning to clear up before their eyes. He gritted his jaw with the effort, it was taking all his power to fix her up. He doubted he'd have enough energy to fly after he was done, looks like he was sleeping over.

"I like this aggressive side of you, baby." He commented, making Adelaide chuckle again. It hurt to laugh but it was worth it. Dean narrowed his eyes at the angel across from him.

"Is this really a suitable time?" He asked, which made Gabriel's smirk disappear, though he looked considerably less anxious now. He swept his hand back up her torso and the last of her wounds stitched themselves back together, as if by magic. The bruises near her clavicle vanished, the cuts and scrapes sunk back into her skin, and the broken pieces of bone all fused back together.

"There you go, done." Gabriel said breathlessly. He removed his hand and leaned back against the sofa behind him. He was shattered, fixing Adelaide had drained the last of his grace just as he'd expected it would. He felt as exhausted as she most likely did. "That was close, honey."

"You're telling me." Adelaide replied, her voice still hoarse from all the screaming. She turned her head to look at her angel, who had closed his eyes, his head leaned back against the sofa cushions. "How are you feeling?" Gabriel frowned at her.

"How am _I_ feeling?" He laughed, finding her concern touching if a little ridiculous. He sighed and smiled slightly at the hunter. "Do you want me to send you off to lullaby land?" Gabriel asked, and Adelaide nodded.

"That'd be lovely, thank you." She said quietly. Gabriel snapped his fingers and his green jacket appeared around her to keep her warm. He made a comment about protecting her modesty before he leaned forward and pressed his fingers gently against her forehead. With his last drop of grace, he sent her off to sleep so she could rest and recuperate. He fell back against the sofa again and smiled to himself. He was dog-tired, but Adelaide was safe and that topped everything. Dean was happy that Adelaide was better, but now that he didn't have to worry about her, the anger he'd suppressed came flooding back. He stood up from the floor and pulled off his jacket.

"Okay, you know what," He growled, making Gabriel open one eye. "I was okay with this whole deal but now it's gotta stop." Gabriel sighed and closed his eyes again.

"What are you talking about, dunderhead?" He muttered. He was exhausted, he didn't need to be yelled at. He thought the Winchesters often forgot who he was, or perhaps they just didn't care.

"I thought it'd be okay, you and Adelaide, but-" Gabriel suddenly sat up and frowned at the eldest brother.

"What do you mean, me and Adelaide?" He asked, suddenly feeling a lot more alert. He could feel his borrowed heart starting to thud hard against his ribcage. He knew what Dean meant but he really didn't want to talk about it. Not now, not after what they'd just been through. Not after what he'd done.

"Oh, don't give me that!" Dean's voice rose as his frustration grew. Playing dumb was not something he suffered easily. "The whole goo-goo eyes, flirting thing you guys have got going on." Gabriel glanced at Sam who was slumped in an armchair, his skin shining with sweat. He wasn't going to be any help. He looked back at Dean and then down at the floor.

"You don't know what you're talking about." He said quietly. Gabriel heard the hunter give a derisive snort as he dropped his jacket over the back of an empty chair.

"Oh, don't I?" Dean pointed an accusatory finger at the angel who was still curled up on the floor. "Because it seems to me that you two have been getting real close lately." Sam raised his head and tried to stop his brother from going too far. They were all beat, this was not the time to discuss this sort of thing.

"Dean." He tried to call to him, but he ignored his plea.

"You're an angel. She's human." He stated, his lip curling back in a snarl. Gabriel snapped his head up to glare at the hunter, his eyes burning.

"You think I don't know that?" He suddenly yelled, making the two hunters tense. Gabriel was their friend and ally, but he was still a powerful celestial being who could flatten them in the blink of an eye. Between them, Adelaide stirred in her sleep, a frown creasing her forehead. Dean watched Gabriel as he gently rested a hand on her forehead and Adelaide settled again. The hunter gestured for them all to follow him out of the room. He wanted to finish their talk but he didn't want to disturb Adelaide. He led the archangel out into the hall, his brother close behind him. They walked until they were sure they were out of earshot, then Dean started to berate him again.

"Listen, like I said, I was okay with... This, until today." Dean could see that Gabriel was starting to get angry, but he wouldn't back down. "I thought it would work out because you could protect her-"

"She doesn't need protecting." Gabriel suddenly bit back, but Dean shook his head.

"Hunters aren't invincible." He told him firmly. This made Gabriel falter. He knew the hunters sometimes forgot his status, it hadn't occurred to him that he often forgot who _they_ were. Humans, even hunters, were very fragile in comparison to what he and his brothers could withstand. Seeing Adelaide today reminded him of that. She talked a big game, they always did, but when they got down to it, she was just as fragile as the people she fought to protect. "Me and Sam, we have each other's backs but Adelaide, she was on her own." Dean went on, making sure to keep his voice low. "She needs to trust that you'll be there when she needs help, and you, you let her down tonight!"

"Dean." Sam tried to interrupt his brother again when he saw the look on the archangel's face. He was no longer furious. In fact, he looked utterly miserable. Gabriel knew he'd made a mistake. If seeing Adelaide like that wasn't punishment enough, being reminded of how much he'd let her down was downright agony. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying not to beat himself up over what had happened but he couldn't get over the guilt that had settled in his chest.

"She needed you and you weren't there! I can't let that happen again. So just back off, alright?" Dean warned him in a harsh whisper, his eyes dark and unforgiving in the dimly lit house. "It can never... It just can't work." Gabriel hated to admit it, but the hunter was right. He would never tell him that, though. In fact, he didn't say a word. Dean had expected some kind of rebuttal or at least a snide remark in return, but the archangel merely sighed and turned his back on the brothers. They watched him as he disappeared back into the library, dragging his feet with exhaustion and defeat. Sam sighed as they watched him go.

"Nice going, Dean." He muttered. Although what his brother said was true, there was no need to put it so heartlessly. Dean sighed and shook his head.

"He had to hear it." He insisted, though even he hadn't wished to see the archangel look so downtrodden. But it would do him some good. He couldn't let Gabriel get too close to his friend if he couldn't protect her. He'd been about to ask Sam what he would've done instead when he saw his brother was clutching at his head. "Oh, crap, Sam." With all the drama of the last hour, he'd forgotten all about his thirst. He needed to get him to the panic room and fast.

Whilst Dean bundled Sam away to the basement, praying that Bobby would get home soon, Gabriel was watching Adelaide sleep. He thought about moving her upstairs to bed but feared waking her up. Instead, he brought over a blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over her. It was all he could think to do. An hour or so later, Lee, Bobby and Samandriel arrived home from their own hunt and were shocked at what they found. Sam was shrieking to be released from the panic room, Dean was trying not to cry at the sight of his brother, Adelaide was lying unconscious on the library floor surrounded by her own blood, and Gabriel looked uncharacteristically sombre. Dean quickly explained all that they'd been through, from the strange deaths, to Cupid, to the horseman. Bobby, Lee and Samandriel listened in rapt silence, and once Dean was done retelling their story, he led Bobby to the basement to talk about Sam.

Lee must have asked Gabriel a thousand questions before she finally went to bed. He tried to answer them all but he was still exhausted and promised to tell her more in the morning. Samandriel sat in the kitchen with a book, keeping Gabriel company without bothering him, which the archangel was grateful for. His brother didn't know much about Earth yet, but he'd certainly gotten better at reading emotions. Less than half an hour later, as Gabriel was thinking above making a move, Adelaide began to stir. She moaned in her sleep as she fought against consciousness then raised her arms above her head, hissing when her muscles burned. She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember how she'd got there. Then it all came rushing back and she wished she could forget it all again. Gabriel smiled when she looked around at him. To his surprise, she smiled back. He didn't think he deserved to see such a wondrous thing, but he was too tired to argue and too ashamed to bring up what had happened.

"How're you feeling, hot stuff?" He asked softly, not wanting to disturb the quiet that had settled over the old house. Adelaide groaned as she sat up. The hard floor had not done her back any good, but after what she'd been through, a little backache was pittance in comparison.

"Like I've been run over by one of those lorries with twelve wheels." She muttered, her throat still raw. "But I'm okay." Gabriel chuckled. He'd always found her it-could-be-worse attitude endearing. Adelaide always put it down to being English, but he thought her particular method of just getting on with things and not complaining about them was quite unique to her. She sat up properly, raising her arms out in front of her to survey the damage. "Huh, you did a good job." She praised him.

"Thanks." Usually he would've shot back something inappropriate, but tonight he was too upset to try. He watched her quietly as she pulled off the blanket and wriggled her toes. She worked all the way up her body, testing every joint and muscle to make sure everything was working.

"Amazing." She murmured, more to herself than her friend. He smiled at the compliment. When she was certain that all her aches and pains were gone and all was well, she crossed her legs and yawned. Gabriel was glad that she was relaxed but he felt like he ought to tell her the truth. But which truth? That he felt awful about letting her down? That she'd almost died because of him? That his hunger, now a distant memory, had been for her? Dean's sharp words still rang in his mind, but he felt he owed her an explanation.

"Hey, Adelaide, there's something I need to tell you." He said eventually. He didn't know which truth he was going to tell, but he never got the chance. He frowned at his friend as she suddenly rested her hand on his shoulder and used him as a support to get to her feet. "What are you doing?" Adelaide snorted at his question as she tried to get her balance.

"I'm windsurfing, what does it look like I'm doing?" Gabriel rolled his eyes at her sardonic reply but he still couldn't help but feel concerned as he watched her begin to move about the room.

"You... You shouldn't be walking so much yet." He warned her, watching her wobble slightly as she rounded the coffee table. Adelaide snorted again, clearly she was feeling a lot better.

"What are you, my mum?" She shook her head as she walked around in circles. Her legs felt stiff and creaky, but her bones had been practically pieced back together like a jigsaw, so that was to be expected. "Stop staring and pass me my phone." Gabriel stood up and reached for her mobile which Dean had placed on the arm of the sofa.

"Seriously, Adelaide-" He began as she teetered dangerously and almost toppled to the floor.

"You only call me Adelaide when you're being serious." She muttered, taking her phone from him as she began another lap of the library. "Is this your jacket?"

"Yes. And I am being serious."

"Speaking of name calling…" The hunter stopped, settling Gabriel's nerves a little. "I seem to remember you not only calling me gorgeous, but also: baby, honey, darling, princess, and sweetheart." Adelaide listed off with raised eyebrows. She seemed unimpressed by his affectionate name calling. Gabriel could only smile at her. He was just happy she was alright.

"You recall correctly." He replied and Adelaide rolled her eyes, sighing exasperatedly.

"How many times have I got to punch you before you learn, angel? No nicknames." She scolded as she continued to struggle around the room. Every couple of steps she had to grip onto another piece of furniture or patch of wall to hold her up and she winced at the pressure it put on her weak muscles.

"I let you call me 'angel'." Gabriel pointed out, his voice faint as he let himself be distracted by her, making sure she wouldn't fall.

"That's just a statement of your species, it's not a nickname." Came Adelaide's stubborn reply. Gabriel shook his head, still watching her attentively.

"Can I start calling you 'human'?" He joked, grinning at her when she narrowed her eyes. He was surprised when her expression softened and she smiled back.

"Puny human." She said in a deep, gruff voice, making him laugh. She reached the sofa and wanted to sit down. Though she felt infinitely better, she was now completely worn out.

"Is that a yes, baby, honey, darlin', sweetheart?" He asked as he made his way over to where she was carefully lowering herself down onto the sofa. Adelaide hissed in pain as she tried to sit by herself and she heard Gabriel make a small concerned noise. She was surprised when he grasped her under the arms and gently lowered her down. She was always shocked by how strong he was, but this time she was just mystified by the fact that he was touching her, and so tenderly as well. She let out a soft sigh when she finally made it safely onto the soft cushions and smiled up at the angel.

"That, my friend, is a firm no." She got herself comfortable on the worn old sofa whilst Gabriel decided whether or not he should leave Bobby's. He'd wanted to make sure Adelaide was safe, and now he knew she was going to be fine, he didn't want to outstay his welcome. She seemed pleased to see him, but Dean's words were still clear in his head. "I'm sorry, you wanted to talk to me about something." Adelaide realised she'd interrupted him earlier and frowned curiously up at the angel. When he didn't reply, she reached forward and brushed her fingers against his hand. "Gabriel?" He started, not having expected the contact, and stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"It doesn't matter." He told her quietly, giving her a warm smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. "So long as you're okay." Adelaide knew he was hiding something, but didn't want to push him. They'd both had a long day and deserved a rest. She patted the space on the sofa next to her and Gabriel hesitated before joining her. Adelaide sighed as she leaned against him, letting her head fall back against the cushions. Gabriel enjoyed the warmth she brought to him. It wasn't often that he got close enough to touch her, and he relished every moment of it. He focused on that warmth, that human warmth that had fascinated him for so long. She was safe, she was going to be alright. Yes, he'd let her down that evening, but he'd be damned if he ever did it again. Gabriel vowed that from that day onwards, he would never leave her side again, and despite Dean's warning, he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. The hunter and the angel remained on the sofa for the rest of the night, both of them ignoring how wonderful the other's heartbeat felt against their skin and the way that they seemed to fit together perfectly.


	17. Chapter 17

Two days passed before they were finally ready to travel again. A Djinn sighting down South couldn't have come soon enough for the hunters, who had been cooped up inside whilst things got back to normal. They needed time to recuperate after the tough few days they'd had. It seemed the hits just kept on coming, from meeting Lucifer, to battling angels in the 70s, to stealing a ring from a horseman. Then there was Adelaide's near-fatal injuries and Sam's little problem. After Lee, Samandriel and Bobby finally returned home from their hunt, Dean realised they could no longer hide his brother's past from their new friends. While Adelaide was still unconscious on the library floor, he sat her partner and Samandriel down and explained about Sam's time as a blood junkie, the traitorous Ruby, and all the rest.

They sat in silence, listening closely to everything he had to say and when he was done, Lee smiled, patted his hand, and told him that everything was going be okay. Dean appreciated her comforting gesture, he didn't get much of that in his life. Surprisingly, they didn't ask any questions. Maybe they didn't want to be nosey, but it much more likely that they were just exhausted. Lee checked on Adelaide one last time before she went to bed. She would tell her best friend everything in the morning, but for now she'd let her sleep. Before she went upstairs, Lee noticed Gabriel practically passed out on the sofa. She smiled at the sight. He'd told her what had happened with the demons with his head bowed. He obviously felt ashamed about letting Adelaide get hurt, but he explained that he'd healed her and that she would be right as rain in the morning. A few weeks ago, Lee never would have thought the angel could be so selfless. She didn't think he had anything to feel guilty about. She spotted Gabriel's jacket wrapped around her partner and fondly shook her head. She turned to Samandriel and smoothed a hand over his shoulder.

"You feeling okay?" She asked him softly. They'd had a long day and it couldn't be easy seeing his big, strong, older brother like this. If he was upset, he didn't show it. Samandriel smiled at her and nodded before telling her that she should sleep. She squeezed his hand before bidding him goodnight and going upstairs.

The next morning, Sam was still in the basement, shaking and twisting as his mind and body fought. Adelaide was feeling a lot better but her muscles were still a little sore. There were a few cuts and scrapes that Gabriel hadn't been able to fix, but he'd thankfully managed to heal everything major before his power ran out. He left soon after Adelaide woke up, only sticking around long enough to make sure that she was safe. Lee had immediately taken her friend aside and explained about Sam. There was no point asking Dean to retell the story, he clearly felt uncomfortable talking about his little brother's sickness. Another day passed before Sam's screams finally stopped and he emerged from the panic room pale, drained, but better. The girls felt a little wary around the youngest Winchester at first, but he was soon smiling again and they knew he was back.

They were on the road to Elk Point when they got the call. Just across town, someone had supposedly been attacked by a man who'd been dead for five years. They took an immediate detour, the case just sounded too interesting to miss. Sam and Dean were dressed as FBI agents, ready to interview the victim. Adelaide and Lee were also dressed for the part but would only pull out their badges if there was some kind of emergency. The boys would take the lead on the case and figure out if it was worth investigating further, then they would either stick around or head down to Elk Point. Sam was trying to call Bobby to let him know their plans had changed and was still on the phone when Adelaide, Lee and Samandriel piled out of the Capri. The angel pulled a face when he saw the dingy diner the boys had chosen. Lee saw his expression and chuckled.

"It's alright, mate." She encouraged him, hooking her arm through his and pulling him towards the door. "If only you could see some of the places Lady's dragged me to in the past." Behind them, Adelaide rolled her eyes.

"You love Joe's." She protested. Lee raised her eyebrows at Samandriel, who was trying to hide how marvellous it felt to walk arm in arm with her.

"I loved the chips. I wasn't so fond of the loos."

"Hey, they covered up that hole in the wall, didn't they?" Lee looked over her shoulder at her friend and poked out her tongue. Adelaide rolled her eyes again but couldn't help laughing.

"Bobby, listen, when you get this message, call! Okay?" Sam sighed and hung up the phone. He slammed the passenger door of the Impala a little too hard, but for once Dean didn't chide him for it.

"Is he still not home?" His brother asked, his voice filled with an unusual amount of concern. When they left the house early that morning, Bobby was there to wave them off. Sam shrugged unhelpfully and Dean grunted. "How far could he get in that chair?" He muttered, pushing open the door of the greasy spoon. They stepped inside, each letting out a quiet sigh at the warmth that washed over them. It was raining outside, typical Sioux Falls weather, and getting cold.

"I don't mind the wait." Adelaide said as she walked past, a tray loaded with food and drinks already in her hands. She flashed them a grin before she walked over to a table across the diner. While Sam and Dean interviewed the witness, the girls had taken it upon themselves to fill their boots. They weren't needed just yet and so the only logical thing to do whilst waiting in a diner was eat. Adelaide plunked down in the squashy red booth and slid the tray into the centre of the table. Lee eagerly grabbed her fries and milkshake, as always thankful for the super-sized American portions. She was starving but Samandriel hadn't ordered anything. He was sat beside her, of course, watching Sam and Dean interview the strange man who'd contacted them. His attention was recaptured when his friend suddenly pushed some of her food in front of him. Lee picked up one of the fries and offered it to him, a wide grin on her face.

"Try it, you'll love it." She promised, although Samandriel wasn't so sure. He'd tried food a few times before and it had never appealed to him. But Lee was smiling at him so wonderfully, how could he possibly say no? He took the fry and inspected it closely before popping it into his mouth. The girls watched as he chewed thoughtfully then shook his head. Lee let out a huff of annoyance then offered him her drink. It had to be one of the nicest strawberry milkshakes she'd ever had, but Samandriel didn't seem to agree.

"It just tastes like... Molecules." He said, sticking out his tongue in disgust. Lee took the drink back and frowned slightly.

"So, not good?" She checked. Samandriel hated to disappoint her but the milkshake tasted plain awful.

"I'm afraid not." He said, smiling apologetically. Lee tutted and lightly banged her fist against the table.

"Damn." She muttered, but her bright smile let him know she wasn't angry. Lee pulled her fries back across the table and picked a bunch between her long fingers. "You're missing out, gorgeous." She said before shoving them into her mouth. Samandriel laughed at that, the sound surprising Adelaide. She was around the angel a lot, but she didn't think she'd ever heard him laugh properly before.

"I'll manage." He assured Lee, who rolled her eyes at his sarcastic tone. Adelaide sometimes forgot that Samandriel wasn't human and was actually working continuously to fit in amongst his new friends. It was only a few weeks ago that he hadn't known what a handshake was, and now here he was, dressed in his new hunting-appropriate clothes and joking away with Lee like they'd known each other for years. Adelaide knew the reason for his confidence was because of her best friend and she couldn't be more proud. It took a lot of patience to teach someone a whole new way of life, but Lee seemed to be taking it in her stride. Adelaide supposed the enormous crush her friend had on the angel helped to ease the load.

"So, what are we drinking?" Adelaide rolled her eyes and pushed away the arm that had suddenly appeared around her shoulders. Gabriel was studying the table full of food before them with glee. Adelaide couldn't understand why everything tasted so awful to Samandriel and yet Gabriel devoured food like a dog. She supposed it was because Gabriel had lived on earth for thousands of years and was probably used to it by now.

"Oh, there you are." Adelaide said after she'd taken a sip of her drink. "Wondered where you'd got to." Gabriel raised his eyebrows, his trademark smirk already in place.

"Miss me?" He asked, reaching for her fries. Adelaide pulled the box out of his reach and smiled. After she'd woken up on his shoulder yesterday morning, Gabriel very awkwardly asked how she was feeling then proceeded to check each and every one of her injuries to make sure they had healed properly. His concern was touching but she suspected he had an ulterior motive. They hadn't heard from Gabriel since and although he was trying to steal her food, it was good to see him.

"Not in the slightest." Adelaide stated, but then she cracked a smile and moved her box of food so that it sat between them to share. Gabriel smiled gratefully and picked up a few fries.

"How're you feeling?" He asked, sounding a lot more serious now. His tone changed so sporadically, Adelaide could hardly keep track. She shrugged slightly, not really wanting to talk about her near-death experience. She'd been hurt on hunts before but never like that. She felt fine, but she didn't want to think about what Famine had made her see or relive being tortured by that demon. She suppressed a shudder.

"Pretty good, considering." She said simply, but it made Gabriel's heart clench. He felt awful whenever he looked at her. It was his fault that she'd been hurt. He'd never forget the way Adelaide looked that night, a crumpled, bloody heap on the ground. The very thought made him sick. He'd tried to stay away, he really had. But something about this eclectic, ridiculous group had him hooked. And Adelaide... She meant everything to him. She was his closest friend, even if she didn't know it. Or maybe she did. Maybe that was why she smiled at him so brightly. He wanted to smile back, he truly did, but his guilt was suffocating. Instead, he leaned against her for a second, a quick bump to the shoulder that said all that words couldn't. Thankfully, she returned the gesture and he tried valiantly to ignore the glow it sparked in his chest.

"Apart from that nasty bruise on your arm." Lee suddenly said, gesturing towards the spot with one of her fries. Gabriel's soft expression suddenly turned to a frown and he gawked at the woman beside him.

"What?" He cried, surprising Adelaide with his sudden alarm. She let out a laugh when she saw his worried expression and waved him off.

"It's nothing." She reassured him, then sent her friend a dark look. Lee seemed to get the picture but Samandriel was yet to learn the 'shut up' look. He took another of Lee's fries just to make sure he didn't like them before nodding at the spot on Adelaide's arm.

"It's pretty big." The angel told his brother, whose concern only increased, much to Adelaide's annoyance. She hated being fussed over but she especially didn't like the idea of Gabriel worrying about her.

"Just like your mouth." Adelaide muttered. Lee let out a snort at her words but quickly apologised when Samandriel looked at her. He smiled wryly and poked her in the ribs. Adelaide kneaded her forehead and blew out a long sigh before she finally admitted, "This morning I walked into a door frame." She was incredibly embarrassed about the whole thing. She was speaking to Lee and wasn't looking where she was going. She walked smack into the kitchen door frame and now she had a loud and proud bruise below her shoulder. Gabriel didn't laugh, which was the most surprising thing, but then his golden eyes narrowed and she knew she was about to feel even more humiliated.

"You're telling me that you fought off an army of demons, went up against a horseman, and survived getting practically every bone in your body broken, but you hurt yourself walking into a _door_?"

"Door _frame_." Adelaide corrected him, prodding his shoulder lightly. Gabriel rolled his eyes but he still didn't laugh, much to her relief. She didn't think she could take any more grief about her self-inflicted injury. Adelaide was picking up more fries when she felt Gabriel's hand on her arm. She frowned, looking between him and his gentle yet firm grip. With his free hand, he slid up her sleeve to reveal her bruise. She tried not to shiver at the feeling. Gabriel pursed his lips when he saw the angry purple mark. He reached out two fingers and placed them over the bruise, but Adelaide finally realised his intentions and brushed him away. "Get off, you soppy git." She muttered, pulling her sleeve back down and hooking a hand around her elbow, keeping her arm as far away from him as possible. Gabriel heaved an exasperated sigh but raised his hands in surrender. It was just a bruise, not exactly life or death. Adelaide knew what that felt like only too well. Then she realised the angel beside her probably still felt guilty about what happened and wanted to make amends wherever he could. Before she could offer some kind of comfort, Samandriel suddenly spoke up.

"She wouldn't let me heal it either. Must be a pride thing." Beside him, Lee nodded her head. Her angel hadn't been there for long but he was learning fast.

"Correct, Samandriel." She congratulated him with a gentle pat on the shoulder. Adelaide scoffed at his words, although she could never actually be cross with the angel, just a little annoyed at his perceptiveness.

"Don't encourage him." She muttered. Lee stole one of her friend's fries and ate it before she could protest.

"Shut up and eat your lunch." She retorted, defending Samandriel instantly as they all knew she would. Gabriel chuckled at the exchange but then something caught his eye. A woman had just entered the diner, a police officer, and she was scanning the room like she was looking for someone. He'd been with the hunters long enough to know that this woman was looking for the Winchesters.

"Heads up." His words were quiet, only a murmur to avoid arousing suspicion, but his companions immediately stopped joking about to watch the police officer as she approached the boys.

"Gentlemen." She greeted the Winchesters civilly though even from across the diner, they could pick up on the stern undertone to her voice. "I'm Sheriff Jody Mills. I don't believe we've had the pleasure." Immediately, the brothers dug into their pockets and pulled out their counterfeit ID badges.

"Agents Dorfman and Neidermeyer. FBI." Dean introduced them, holding up his ID for the police officer to see. Mills studied them carefully but appeared to be just as easily fooled as the countless other law enforcers they'd come across in their time.

"Welcome to Sioux Falls, gentlemen." She said, but there was still that severity to her tone that made Lee think that she wasn't completely convinced. "Can I ask you what you're doing with Digger here?"

"They're doing their job. They believe me, Sheriff." The scruffy man the Winchesters were questioning jutted out his chin, clearly he'd had a few run-ins with Mills in the past. She looked up and narrowed her eyes at the boys.

"The FBI believes a dead man committed a murder?" The sheriff said doubtfully, her mouth drawn into a thin line. Dean raised his hands, not wanting to spark an argument.

"Look, we're just asking a few questions, Sheriff. That's all." Across the diner, the others were watching intently. Adelaide chewed her lip, trying to gauge the severity of the situation. Then she whispered,

"Maybe one of us should intervene." This made Lee sigh. She trusted Gabriel about as far as she could throw him, Adelaide could rarely hold her tongue in a situation, and Samandriel couldn't look any less like an FBI agent.

"I'm on it." She muttered, then tapped the angel beside her on the shoulder. Samandriel moved out of the way, trying not to think about her pressing against his body as she squeezed past. Once Lee was out of the booth, she straightened out her blazer and buttoned her shirt to the neck, then tried to flatten her curls before marching over to the boys. Gabriel chuckled quietly at her words.

"She's 'on it'. I love her." He shook his head fondly. "Why don't I spend more time with her?" He asked Adelaide, who grinned and gestured to herself.

"Because I'm so damn distracting, that's why." She replied. Gabriel made a point of looking her up and down before agreeing with her.

"Touché." Adelaide gave him a weary look, but she had to admit she'd walked into that one. She took his chin between her fingers and turned his head back to where Lee had just joined the Winchesters. Samandriel filed the interaction away to ask his friend about later, maybe she could shed some light on their confusing relationship. Lee cleared her throat and smiled down at the brothers.

"Everything alright?" She asked them, smoothly adopting an American accent. It made Dean jump to hear her speak this way, but he quickly recovered.

"Uh, Sheriff. This is our other partner," He began to introduce Lee but faltered when he couldn't come up with a name. "Agent... Lola... Copa." Beside him, Sam winced slightly, but knew he'd have to wait until Mills was gone to tease his brother.

"Pleased to meet ya." Lee held out her hand to the sheriff. Mills didn't seem to notice the frankly ludicrous fake name, she was too busy dialling the number Sam had given her.

"Likewise." The sheriff said distractedly as she shook Lee's hand. Lee smiled at her then turned to the boys and mouthed 'Lola Copa?' Dean shook his head, clearly feeling very embarrassed about the whole thing whilst Sam held back a smile. "Agent Willis, this is Sheriff Jody Mills." They waited patiently, listening to Bobby's voice crackling through the speaker. They'd done this countless times before, lying was second nature. Adelaide and Lee had a guy in Florida who was always ready to adopt a character when they needed him, so Lee instantly knew to play along. But then Sheriff Mills' mouth fell open and her polite, professional demeanour vanished. "Bobby?" She gasped. "Is this Bobby Singer?" Lee could just about hear the older hunter spluttering through a response before the sheriff interrupted. "Bull crap." She narrowed her eyes at the brothers and Lee, who all looked a little sheepish. "FBI, huh?"

"Uh oh." Samandriel muttered. Adelaide, who was straining to hear their conversation over the din of the café, looked between the two angels in confusion.

"What?"

"We've been rumbled." Gabriel informed her. Adelaide grimaced.

"Uh oh."

"So, uh... So you know Bobby Singer?" Dean tried to crack a smile but the sheriff's withering glare made him think twice about it. Beside him, Sam was trying to think of a way out of the situation.

"That is... A fun coincidence." He said, drawing a blank. There was a stunned silence wherein no one knew quite what to say. This had never happened before. It suddenly occurred to the brothers that in all their years of hunting, their cover had never been blown so quickly. Then Lee, who was actually finding this all quite funny, asked,

"So I can stop talking like that now, yeah?" She was relieved to drop the phoney American accent, it always made her feel uncomfortable. Mills stared at her in shock and when Lee glanced at the Winchesters, she saw they looked a little exasperated. Lee widened her eyes, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "What?"

Across the diner, Gabriel rested his head in his hands. Oh, these idiots he called friends, they never disappointed. Next to him, Adelaide was shaking her head, though more out of bemusement than irritation. Gabriel looked across the table to see if Samandriel was enjoying the show as much as he was, but he soon forgot what he'd wanted to ask. Samandriel _was_ watching the trio of hunters as they were questioned by the sheriff, but when Gabriel followed his gaze, he realised his attention was elsewhere. Samandriel was looking at Lee like she was a starry sky and that was saying something for creatures as old as he and Gabriel. They had been around for a long time, long enough to have seen _everything_. Nothing was new to them anymore, but you wouldn't think it by the way Samandriel gazed at the hunter. Gabriel tutted and waved his hand in front of his brother's face.

"Stop staring at her like that." He muttered. He knew Samandriel adored Lee, but he wasn't exactly subtle about it and if anything, it was impolite to stare. Samandriel went a bit pink when he realised he'd been caught but when Adelaide looked around to see what Gabriel was talking about, he felt his cheeks beginning to burn.

"I wasn't staring." He insisted, making a point of turning away from the group across the café. He crossed his arms over his chest, a stubborn action he must have learned from observing the hunters. Gabriel sighed again and pointed a finger at his brother in warning.

"Young man, if I had a squirt gun you'd be-" Then Gabriel remembered then he was a timeless, all-powerful, ethereal being and grinned. "Oh, yeah." He waved his hand and pulled a spray bottle out the air then squeezed the trigger twice.

"Hey!" Samandriel made a disgusted sound as he wiped the water from his face. He waved his hand and the bottle disappeared again. Gabriel pouted, disappointed that the fun had ended so soon but Adelaide rested a hand on his arm before he could tease Samandriel anymore.

"Don't be mean." She scolded Gabriel, who to her surprise actually listened to her and sat back in his seat. She raised her eyebrows but didn't question it, not wanting to jinx her good luck. After a moment, she added, "But, yeah, you should probably think about making a move sometime soon." Samandriel's bright blue eyes widened and he gasped at the hunter across from him.

"What?" He squeaked. He wasn't entirely sure what 'making a move' actually involved, but if Gabriel's insinuations and Adelaide's pointed looks were anything to go by, it couldn't be anything remotely platonic.

"Just kiss her already." Adelaide reiterated, confirming his suspicions. Samandriel's mouth formed a perfect 'o' shape which she would have laughed at if she weren't busy watching her friends across the diner. Samandriel was shocked to say the least. He couldn't believe that Adelaide would ever suggest such a thing. The very thought was... Well, unthinkable. Adelaide waved a hand about as if swatting a fly, her eyebrows drawn together in concentration. "I'm 95% certain she wants you." Samandriel waited for the hunter to finish her sentence but she continued to watch Lee, Sam and Dean be interrogated in silence.

"Wants me to what?" He asked slowly. Adelaide shrugged, still not tearing her gaze away from their friends.

"No, that's it."

"95%?" Gabriel asked, looking back over his shoulder at the hunter. Adelaide's mouth twisted as she thought for a moment. She remembered what Lee had told her yesterday, about how Samandriel had started getting changed right in front of her and she couldn't decide whether she was going to pass out or push him against the nearest wall. She remembered the tortured look on her best friend's face and reconsidered her answer.

"Make it 98%." She said finally. Across from them, Samandriel still looked appalled by Adelaide's suggestion.

"I can't do that!" He all but whispered, as if he was afraid that Lee would overhear them from all the way across the room. Gabriel sighed and shook his head at Samandriel.

"Why not?" He asked, beginning to smile at the almost horrified look on his brother's face. But then his expression changed and it wasn't so funny anymore. Samandriel sat back in his seat, his jaw firmly set. Adelaide had never seen him look so severe. Samandriel met Gabriel's eyes and held his gaze.

"You know why." He stated evenly. Gabriel flinched. He opened his mouth to reply but changed his mind when he couldn't find the words. He glanced at Adelaide then looked back at Samandriel with a new-found sympathy. Samandriel worked his jaw as he averted his gaze, looking down at the table to watch his fingers anxiously knotting together. Adelaide didn't seem to sense the change of tone. She continued to tease the angel, leaning across the sticky table and poking Samandriel's arm.

"C'mon, mate, all this fluttery big, blue eyes stuff is working for you. You've just gotta bite the bullet." She chuckled, looking to Gabriel for the backup she knew he'd provide. But for once, he didn't join the teasing. Gabriel turned back to watch the Winchesters and Lee but his thoughts were clouded. Samandriel's words had struck a serious chord.

"Leave him alone, Lady." He said quietly, only moving his head enough so that he could see her out of the corner of his eye. "The guy's new to this." Despite his limited view, he could see that Adelaide was about to protest.

"But-"

"Leave it." Gabriel interrupted her firmly. His grave tone surprised her and it took Adelaide a few seconds to recover from it. Her eyebrows drew together and Gabriel knew she wanted to question him further but to his surprise and relief, Adelaide merely turned back to watch their friends, her lips pursed.

"Okay." She murmured.

* * *

"You know how many times we called? Where have you been?" Bobby turned his chair around to scoff at the brothers.

"Playing murderball." He shot back, making the Winchesters sigh. It didn't take long for the boys to finish interviewing Digger, a seemingly unreliable source of information who had only added more intrigue to the already baffling case. The group of hunters decided to stay in town after all, although Sheriff Mills' warning had them on their best behaviour. Bobby still wasn't picking up his calls when they left the diner so they headed back to Singer Motors to see what the matter was. Dean stopped and sniffed the air, his brow wrinkling in confusion.

"What's that smell? Is that soap?" He gawped down at his close friend, his tone filled with shock. "Did you clean?"

"I knew something was different." Lee muttered as she walked past them, dumping her bag on her way to flop down on the squashy old sofa. Now that Dean mentioned it, the old house did smell an awful lot better. The layers of dust were gone and even Bobby himself looked clean. His hair was brushed, he'd put on a fresh shirt and his beard was neatly trimmed. Adelaide sent her friend a sideways glance which Lee returned with a confused shrug.

"What are you, my mother? Bite me!" Singer barked, only making the hunters more suspicious. Dean closed his mouth with a snap but he still looked bewildered. Beside him, Sam was shaking his head.

"Bobby, seriously." He said, and the girls noticed he sounded almost concerned, which was even more amusing. Samandriel sat down beside his friend on the sofa and gave her a confused look. Lee grinned and immediately leaned closer to whisper in his ear, explaining why it was funny.

"I've been working. You know, trying to find a way to stop the devil." Bobby grumbled, but they could all see the way he was nervously toying with the wheels of his chair. He had expertly changed the subject and they would go along with it for now, but the older hunter's radio silence and his sudden interest in housekeeping would not be forgotten in a hurry.

"Find anything?" Dean asked curiously, but his hopes were dashed in an instant. Bobby's defensive expression melted away and he suddenly looked quite worried. He glanced away, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you think?" He muttered with a slight sigh. He hated to admit it, but it was nice having Lee around to help him with research. Usually, the boys left him to pour through his many books on his own. Not that he minded, it was his job and he liked being useful, but it was a hell of a lot easier when you had extra help. Plus, Lee was relatively quiet and didn't backtalk him. The angel who was perpetually by her side was useful as well, and although he didn't have nearly as much experience as them, he was eager to help and learn. He'd certainly got used to having them around.

"Bobby, it's just… There's a case less than five miles from your house." Sam explained, sitting himself down on the edge of Bobby's desk. He noted with no small amount of surprise that his cluttered workspace had also been tidied.

"What, the Benny Sutton thing? That's what this is about?"

"You knew about this?" Dean asked, frowning at the older man. Adelaide glanced at Gabriel who was standing in the doorway, not wanting to get involved. The last time he was caught in the middle of an argument between the members of this strange little family hadn't exactly worked out well for him so he kept his distance. He sensed her gaze on him and looked around. She nodded toward the feuding boys then smirked at him with an eyebrow raised. Gabriel laughed quietly to himself, shaking his head ever so slightly. Then he remembered what had happened in the diner and his smile faded. Samandriel's words tolled in his head like a bell, reminding him over and over again of the fragility of his relationship with these humans.

He would never admit it, but he liked Dean and Sam and even Bobby, who he could tell was slowly getting used to him, even if he wasn't pleased about it. Then there was Lee and Adelaide. They were some of the best friends he'd ever had and he'd lived a long, full life. But that was exactly the problem. The reason he'd been so reluctant to help them in the first place was that he didn't want to get attached as he knew he would. Gabriel felt something for these ridiculous, stubborn, wonderful humans, but in a century, they would all be gone, that was if the apocalypse didn't get them first. Samandriel knew this too and although they hadn't spoken about it, he could tell that it was tearing him up inside. Lee and Samandriel were as close as two people could be, but they were toeing a very dangerous line. He opened his mouth and flexed his jaw when he realised he'd been gritting his teeth a little too hard. He also hadn't been paying the least bit of attention to his companions, but it appeared that Bobby had somehow dissuaded the hunters from investigating the case further.

"So, you're telling us... Nothing?" Dean asked, confirming Gabriel's suspicions. Bobby heaved a sigh and twisted his mouth apologetically.

"Sorry. Looks like you wasted a tank of gas on this one." Dean looked between his brother and the girls before shoving his hands in pockets and sighing too.

"Great." He muttered. After this, they saw no reason to hang around. It would be night soon and that meant another possible attack from the monster in Elk Point. The hunters filed out of Bobby's house and out into the yard. The last sunlight of the day bounced off the hoods and mirrors of cars, making them squint as they headed over to their respective vehicles.

"So, Djinn?" Lee proposed, raising her eyebrows at the Winchesters. Now that Bobby had dispelled the rumours floating around town, it made sense that they should go check out the attacks in Elk Point. Even if they weren't completely convinced that there was nothing going on, they saw no reason not to believe Singer. Why would he lie? Dean nodded faintly back, he still seemed troubled by his friend's bizarre attitude.

"Yeah, sure." He muttered. Then he smiled thinly at the women. "You know the place?" Adelaide nodded, already making her way over to her car.

"See you there." She told the Winchesters. They raised their hands in farewell before heading over to the Impala. Samandriel and Lee immediately began to argue over who got shotgun. Every car journey was the same with these two, they bickered like an old married couple. Adelaide sighed as she watched her friends but she wasn't the least bit annoyed. It was quite sweet to watch them interact. Even though they were arguing, both of them had wide smiles on their faces, especially Lee. She loved a good debate and was always trying to get Samandriel to come out of his shell. It had taken some coaxing at first, but now the angel was perfectly comfortable with his human companions and more than willing to argue with Lee. Adelaide watched them for a moment before noticing that Gabriel had appeared by her side. She didn't jump, much to his delight. He didn't like scaring her every time he flew into a room and it was nice to know she was used to him. "You coming?" Adelaide asked the archangel. Gabriel slipped his hands into his pockets, which she would have perceived as a nervous gesture if she didn't know him so well.

"If you want me." He replied with a sweet half-smile. Adelaide looked away, pretending to watch Lee and Samandriel as they laughed together. The Winchesters waved one final time before taking off down the dirt road. Adelaide raised a hand in response, narrowing her eyes as the Impala kicked up a cloud of dust.

"You have your uses." She murmured. This made Gabriel chuckle. He thought that was a bit of an understatement but he knew bragging wouldn't exactly get him into her good books. They both watched Samandriel and Lee fight for a while, but it looked more like flirting. Lee was winning at the moment from what Adelaide could tell, but then Samandriel took a step closer and the hunter's back was pressed up against the Capri. They were very close and Lee's eyes were wide, all her arguments vanishing. Adelaide raised her eyebrows. That was a dirty trick on Samandriel's part, but she had a feeling he had no idea what kind of effect he had on poor Lee. Adelaide could already guess who the winner would be. Beside her, Gabriel cleared his throat. She glanced his way and saw that he was shuffling his feet, his eyes landing everywhere apart from her. This was an uncharacteristic display of awkwardness. Adelaide heard him clear his throat again before he finally worked up the courage to say what he wanted.

"I'm, uh... I'm sorry for snappin' at you earlier." Gabriel winced at the memory. He hated the very idea of being rude to Adelaide, he felt awful about cutting her off so brusquely. It actually took Adelaide a moment to realise what he was talking about. Then she remembered the way he had interrupted her in the diner. She shook her head, turning away from the pair by her car.

"Oh, no, don't worry." Adelaide reassured him with a small smile. She'd been a little put off by his firm tone, sure, but had immediately forgotten about it. She had a thick skin, it would take more than a sharp word to upset her. It appeared to bother Gabriel twice as much as it did her. The archangel shrugged but he finally met her gaze, his golden eyes shining in the dying light.

"It's just, uh... With Samandriel and Lee... I mean, we can all see there's something there, right?" He said, nodding over to where Samandriel seemed to have won the argument and was pulling faces at Lee through the window. Adelaide snorted when her friend stuck her tongue out at him but graciously got into the back seat. She looked back to Gabriel when he continued to explain himself. "And uh... You know, it's difficult for someone like him to let himself... Especially because he's so new at this. She's one of the first humans he's ever met and already... It's complicated and all these new feelings are just-" Adelaide was beginning to fear where Gabriel's bumbling train of thought was leading him. She didn't want to think about this, not now, not ever. Lee and Samandriel were drawing closer and closer when they had the weight of the world on their shoulders. But the way Gabriel was looking at her, she knew it wasn't just about them. She raised a hand, her eyebrows drawing together imploringly.

"Gabriel." She murmured, trying to get him to calm down. He was never this inarticulate, he was usually two steps ahead of all of them. But now Gabriel was struggling to explain himself and it must have truly worried him because Adelaide had never known him to look quite so upset.

"He wants to get closer to Lee, just like you told him to. But he's an angel, she's human." Gabriel finished his explanation despite her concern. He raised his eyebrows at her, hoping she'd get the picture without him having to go on. Adelaide was a little surprised. She wasn't expecting that. She wondered why it bothered him so much, it seemed like it should be a trivial matter to someone like him. Adelaide lowered her gaze, following the seam of his jacket whilst she thought about what he'd said. Then finally she looked up again and nodded briskly.

"Right." She agreed. Then with a knowing smile she added, "But, you never know. Maybe it will work out." Gabriel's lips parted in surprise, his expression beginning to brighten.

"You think so?" He asked, already starting to sound like his usual self again. Adelaide chuckled and rubbed her tired eyes. It had been a long day and the drive ahead of them was even longer, but she could handle it. The sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon, making the scorched earth look blue and the air turn cold. Adelaide shrugged at Gabriel, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets to keep them warm.

"Hey, there're only a couple weeks left before this whole planet turns inside out. Who's gonna be around to care about who falls in love with who?" She said simply. As Gabriel gazed at the hunter, he felt his borrowed heart lift in his chest. Samandriel's forlorn expression had stuck with him all day, it hurt to think that his brother couldn't get closer to the woman he cared about. But with every word that Adelaide spoke, he could feel his faith being restored. Everything was going to be okay, for Samandriel and for himself. He smiled softly at his friend and she smiled back, practically shining in the half-light of dusk.

In the Capri, Samandriel and Lee were watching their companions through the rear window. Lee had fought valiantly to keep her coveted seat, but there was something about the angel that weakened her resolve. She was over it now, but she'd definitely have him make it up to her. The angel and the hunter watched as Adelaide and Gabriel beamed at each other. They were standing perhaps a foot apart but somehow they still looked intimate.

"Who do you think will crack first?" Lee's voice was quiet, but her question still broke the avid silence they shared. Samandriel frowned curiously, finally looking away from their friends to speak to Lee.

"Crack?" He repeated, not entirely sure what she meant. Lee nodded and briefly looked back at him, not wanting to turn away from the pair outside for long in case she missed anything important.

"You know, admit it." She clarified, and Samandriel finally understood.

"Oh." He hummed as he thought. It was certainly an interesting question. He shifted to get more comfortable and so that he could see better, sitting sideways in his seat with one hand by the headrest. Samandriel clicked his tongue before answering, a habit he had picked up from Lee. "I wanna say Gabriel, but he's had a pretty good lid on it." Lee thought this was a fair prediction, it could honestly go either way. She knew her friend well, but the odds were far too precarious to stake a bet on.

"Eh, I think he'll go first." She decided. She looked back at Samandriel again and shrugged. "Adelaide's stubborn as hell." The angel rested his chin on his hand so that he was looking up at her with those big blue eyes.

"Gee, and I thought you two had nothing in common." He grinned at his own jibe and Lee tutted in annoyance. This was probably one of the first jokes he'd ever made and while the significance was not lost on Lee, she still reached around the seat and poked him in the ribs.

"Shut up." She muttered, but again he knew she wasn't actually annoyed with him. Samandriel couldn't imagine Lee ever being truly angry. When she hunted, her expression turned stony and her teeth were bared, but the moment the job was done, she was back to her usual smiling self. He'd never seen her angry but he didn't exactly want to. He'd seen Adelaide on the warpath and it was a little frightening, but Lee had been a hunter her whole life, she was darker, stronger, tougher. He planned to stay on her good side, that's for sure. They watched the angel and the hunter for a moment longer before he spoke again.

"I'll let you show me some more of your terrible music if I can sit here on the way back too."

"Deal."

* * *

The night arrived quickly, much to Adelaide's relief. She always preferred driving at night, especially back home. There were far fewer cars on the road and the darkness helped soothe her. She always needed a little comfort on the way to a hunt, even after her many years on the job. She couldn't help feeling nervous about the monster they would find in Elk Point, but if she concentrated on the two spots of light on the road ahead, she almost forgot about the imminent danger. The drive had been uneventful so far, which was something of a miracle considering her passengers. They'd caught up with the brothers quickly and now Dean and Sam were just a car or two ahead of them. Adelaide was gazing out at the road but not really paying much attention to her surroundings. They were nearly out of town and there was no one around. She was controlling the car out of instinct, Le Nozze di Figaro strangely playing in her head. She blamed her mum for that. But then she saw something that brought her back to earth. The Impala was now the only car on the road besides theirs, so she couldn't miss the indicator that flashed on before Dean suddenly turned a corner. Adelaide immediately jumped into action, her full attention now on the car ahead.

"Where're they going?" She murmured to herself. Samandriel looked up from Lee's phone when she flicked down her indicator to follow the Winchesters. They'd been chatting quietly throughout the drive, which was nice. They hadn't spent much time together and Adelaide had been meaning to get to know him better. The unexpected turn woke up her passengers in the back seat, making them groan in protest.

"What's happening?" Lee called sleepily to her driver. Adelaide frowned as she studied the side road Dean was leading them down. They were almost out of town and there were very few houses about, just a couple of trees and a slim street that soon turned from concrete to dirt.

"The motorway's that way." Adelaide said, gesturing back to the way they'd come. She spoke a little louder this time so that her friends could hear her properly. "Where's Dean taking us?" She didn't get the answer she wanted, but it wasn't exactly a shock.

"Who cares?" Lee groaned and pulled her jacket up over her shoulders. She'd been trying to get to sleep for the best part of an hour but had yet to get comfortable. Her jacket didn't make a very good blanket but she didn't want to trouble either of the angels for one.

"I second that." Gabriel grumbled. He was sat beside Lee and was also trying to get comfortable. There hadn't been any street lights on the main road but now little spots of orange light whizzed by, disturbing his sleep. He thought about short-circuiting the grid but Adelaide would only shout at him. They drove on in silence, following the Impala as it weaved through dark streets. Finally, the boys stopped by the side of the road and Adelaide parked her Capri behind them.

"Dean, what's going on?" She asked as she slammed the door shut. She heard her companions piling out of the car, two thirds of them complaining about having to move. The eldest Winchester had his head stuffed into the boot of his car so Sam answered for him.

"We're taking a look in the cemetery."

"But Bobby said-"

"Bobby's not right about everything." Dean cut her off with a meaningful look. Adelaide didn't take kindly to being interrupted but she lost her train of thought when he pressed a shovel into her hands. She grimaced when she realised what they were about to do. Lee studied the graveyard and pulled a face when she saw its tall, barbed fence. She squeezed her best friend's arm encouragingly.

"Sometimes I really hate these boys." She muttered, then gave Adelaide a wink. This helped settle her nerves a little, but Adelaide still dreaded the idea of creeping through the murky cemetery in the dead of night. She'd seen enough horror movies to know how this went and with Digger's story still clear in her mind, she wasn't all that excited about Dean's plan. Gabriel saw her sombre expression and thought it best to distract her. He held out his hand to the hunter, who looked at him like he'd suddenly grown another head. He grinned at her, clearly feeling a lot less sleepy now.

"You can hold my hand if you think it'll help." He wriggled his fingers for emphasis and Adelaide could only sigh.

"Can you not see the shovel in my hands?" She gestured with the tool Dean had passed to her and Gabriel raised his hands in surrender, though he did chuckle at her less-than-subtle hint. They both looked around sharply when a blunt crack met their ears. Dean had used his own spade to break the padlock wrapped around the graveyard's iron gates. Fortunately, there were no houses close by and it was very unlikely that someone would be wondering the streets at this time of night. Lee took in a deep breath as she pulled her jacket on. She hoped the Winchesters would execute their plan quickly, it was getting colder by the minute and she didn't want to stay in the graveyard any longer than she had to.

They prised the gates open and stepped inside. Nobody said a word as they crept through the dewy grass, their footsteps silenced by the soft ground. They passed rows and rows of headstones, some cracked and faded, some glassy and new. The Winchesters took the lead, torches sweeping over each gravestone in turn. They were looking for something, but their companions weren't sure what and they didn't really want to ask. Samandriel and Lee were a few feet behind them, eyes glued to the ground to make sure they didn't trip. Samandriel glanced at his friend and saw that she had her bottom lip caught between her teeth. The sight was frankly breath-taking even if he didn't know why and he enjoyed the view for a moment before he asked,

"Are you okay?" Lee pulled her jacket closer around her as the wind picked up. It played with her hair and whispered down her neck, making her shiver. She wished she'd brought her coat with her, but it was back at Bobby's. She'd just have to grin and bear it for now, even if her teeth chattered.

"Yeah, I've been in my fair share of cemeteries." She told the angel, who didn't seem surprised by her answer but did look understandably grossed out. She was about to tell him that most hunts ended up in graveyards, it wasn't like she frequented them out of her own volition, but the wind howled again and she shuddered before she could explain herself. Samandriel stopped mid-step when he saw that he'd been about to tread on a gravestone lying flat in the tall grass. He walked around it out of respect and Lee waited for him to catch up, arms wrapped tight around herself.

"I haven't." He replied quietly. Lee frowned at the angel to see what had him so taciturn and saw his eyes were darting around the cemetery. He looked on edge, perhaps even frightened. Lee understood his reservations, a graveyard was not a pleasant place to be. She'd always found them quite peaceful herself, but she knew that Samandriel must find the whole thing quite disconcerting. The late hour and encroaching darkness were bad enough, but he was trampling through the burial ground of a different species, he must feel like he was being disrespectful to be among the shadowy graves. Lee moved her torch to her other hand so that she could slip her arm through Samandriel's, hoping to comfort both him and herself. The angel seemed grateful for her reassuring gesture and he pulled her closer, which she enjoyed because Samandriel was very warm and she was not, but also because the closer she was to him the better.

"Hey." They heard Sam's call and Dean's cheerful whistling ceased. They'd found what they were looking for. The hunters gathered around the marble grave of Clay James Thompson. _Father. Coach. Friend._ Adelaide nervously glanced over her shoulder. She knew there was no one around, but grave digging always made her a little uncomfortable.

"That look fresh to you?" Dean asked the group, sweeping his torch over the space in front of the stocky tombstone. To their dismay, the ground looked as if it had been recently turned. The earth was brown and wet, patches of grass were strewn across the grave like they'd been uprooted.

"Yeah, actually." Sam sounded just as shocked as they all felt.

"Fuck this." Lee heard her best friend mutter under her breath, then saw Samandriel wince ever so slightly. They'd dug up their fair share of graves in their day, but this was different. The thought of the dead rising was more than a little bit unnerving, and she didn't want to be around if and when they started popping up out of the ground. Although she still had the shovel Dean gave her before they'd entered the cemetery, Adelaide didn't help the boys dig. She did however use it to lean on as she watched them exhume coffin. When Sam finally got to six feet, they could see that the coffin's lid was shredded like cardboard. Still holding onto some small scrap of hope, Sam gripped the edge of the coffin and lifted the lid, grunting with the effort. It was empty. Adelaide leaned back away from the grave and shook her head. "Blimey O'Reilly."

"What is going on here?" Sam sounded disgusted, but they couldn't see his face. He was looking down into the empty coffin, shaking his head in bewilderment.

"I don't know, but something stinks." Dean agreed, his lip curled in repulsion. He helped his brother out of the pit he'd dug then turned to address the group as Sam brushed himself down. "Okay, we're gonna go check out this guy's place, see what we can dig up." He paused for second, mulling over his own words. "That was unintentional." He said after a moment, not sure whether he was proud of himself or disappointed. Adelaide allowed herself a smirk but didn't really want to hang around much longer, so she hefted her unused spade over her shoulder and nodded back towards the cars.

"We'll hit the police station. See if anything similar has been called in." She said, looking to Lee for confirmation which she got in the form of an enthusiastic nod.

"See you back at Bobby's."

* * *

Although they didn't know Sioux Falls all that well, it didn't take the girls long to find the police station. Bobby lived on the outskirts of a small, quiet town, an odd setting for such a bizarre series of events. They looked quite an odd group, the three of them. Lee had put her blazer back on and tied back her curls. She wasn't sure what lie she was going to tell just yet but it didn't hurt to look professional. Samandriel's gaze wondered up and down the wide street, perhaps looking for any signs of danger, or perhaps he was just curious. There was no one around, but there was a bar on the corner that still had its lights on, music pouring out of the open windows. Judging by the ruckus going on inside, they wouldn't be disturbed anytime soon. Adelaide was yawning non-stop and pretending she wasn't disappointed that Gabriel wasn't with them. As soon as they got back in Adelaide's car, he'd announced that he was leaving them, for now at least. They didn't question him, although they couldn't help but wonder where the archangel went whenever he wasn't bothering them.

"Righty-o." Lee said brightly, having perked up considerably now that they were on a mission. She'd always found the investigatory side to hunting far more appealing than shooting things. She loved a mystery and so did Adelaide, though her friend much preferred the action packed, adrenaline-pumping aspect of their job. Lee led the way through the sliding glass doors of the police station, only stopping when they reached the reception. Behind the front desk sat a portly man, his nose buried in a book. He hadn't seen them yet. "Follow my lead." Lee hissed to her companions before she strode up to the policeman. She rapped her knuckles briskly against the wooden desk, making the man jump slightly. He put down his book and looked curiously up at her. "Evening, Officer..." Lee glanced at the silver nameplate sitting beside the man's steaming cup of coffee. "Thomas." She finished, smiling brightly. Adelaide noticed with a smirk that Lee had once again adopted an American accent. It made sense, it was unlikely that many English people found their way to this small town in South Dakota, so it was best not to arouse suspicion. It would also make them a lot less conspicuous if things didn't work out for them and they ended up on the police's radar.

"Evenin'." The man greeted her. He had dark skin and kind eyes, and seemed relatively unassuming. The perfect candidate. He didn't appear to be particularly suspicious of them, which was a little surprising. It was long past midnight and three strangers had just waltzed into his police station. Back home, Adelaide knew they would have already been questioned by now, but that was London. Sioux Falls was safer, quieter, which hopefully meant that anything even remotely out of the ordinary would have been reported. "What can I do for you?"

"My name's Lee Costello. I write for the local newspaper." The lie rolled off her tongue without her even thinking it. She'd been a hunter her whole life, her parents had taught her how to cover her tracks before she could multiply. This seemed to gain the police officer's interest, which could either be very useful or very dangerous.

"Which one?" He asked, repositioning his chair so that he was facing Lee straight on, his book long since forgotten. His question made the hunter falter, though only momentarily. She quickly tried to remember the name of the newspaper Bobby got every morning but drew a blank.

"The... Falls Gazette?" She hazarded a guess, trying to sound a lot more confident than she felt. By the grace of some higher power, Officer Thomas raised his eyebrows and began to smile.

"Oh, okay." He said happily. Lee couldn't believe that she'd actually guessed correctly but refrained from punching the air. Behind her, Samandriel marvelled at how fluently his friend was lying to the police officer. He couldn't tell a lie if his life depended on it, but Lee had assured him that this was a good thing, an admirable quality. He'd felt quite proud of himself after that. Officer Thomas looked over her shoulder at Adelaide and Samandriel who were standing quietly, happy to let Lee handle the situation. "Who're these two?" The policeman asked, pointing at her companions with his pen. Lee stepped aside so that he could see her friends properly and gladly introduced them.

"This is Adelaide, my photographer." As soon as the words left her mouth, Adelaide felt a weight around her neck and looked down to find a camera hanging there. She tried not to show how surprised she was as she waved to the policeman, silently thanking Samandriel for his quick thinking. "And Sammy here is co-writer." Lee finished, reaching over and patting the angel on the shoulder. She didn't know what he'd think of the nickname but 'Samandriel' wasn't exactly ordinary and he didn't like 'Alfie' at all. To her relief, 'Sammy' didn't protest and smiled awkwardly at Officer Thomas, who didn't seem at all apprehensive of the trio.

"Huh." Was all he said, then took a sip of his coffee. Lee was glad they'd gotten introductions out of the way and they could get on with the interrogation the policeman didn't know was happening. It was early in the morning and she'd honestly much rather be in bed.

"We're doing a story on the strange happenings that have surfaced recently. I was wondering if you've had any recent reports that are a little... Out of the ordinary." She gave the policeman a pointed look and he seemed to understand what she was getting at.

"Well, sure." Officer Thomas nodded eagerly. "We've had a ton of crazy stuff over the last few days. I thought it was just the weather or something, making people go a little nutty." He circled the side of his head for emphasis and chuckled at his own joke, but Lee didn't even smile.

"What kind of stuff?" She pressed on, not wanting to waste any time. Officer Thomas didn't seem to notice her abruptness, he was probably just happy to have company. Adelaide supposed he didn't see many people on the graveyard shift in a sleep little town.

"Well, few weeks back we had this weird frog infestation." Officer Thomas scratched his chin, wrinkling his forehead as he cast his mind back. "Then there was this problem with the water. It all turned red for a day or so, like blood. Scary, right?" Lee hummed quietly in agreement, but didn't want to distract the policeman by commenting. She was thankful that Bobby lived far away enough so that none of these freak occurrences, most likely caused by Lucifer, had effected them. "No, but the real freaky stuff started five days ago." That got the trio's attention. Anything to do with their case would have arisen in the last week or so. Officer Thomas was finally starting to be of some use. He leaned right over the desk to speak to Lee in a hushed voice, but Samandriel and Adelaide could still hear him whisper, "We got calls from people saying that the dead were rising."

"I'm sorry?" Lee blinked at him, pretending to be surprised. Behind her, Adelaide took a step or two closer, not wanting to miss anything, and Samandriel followed suit.

"I didn't believe it either!" Officer Thomas threw his hands in the air, laughing in disbelief. "But just a few minutes before you walked in here, I got a call from Mary Thatchman sayin' her first husband knocked on her door in the middle of the night." He laughed again, clearly finding the whole thing absurd. "He's been dead for thirty years!" Lee raised an eyebrow at the police officer before turning her head ever so slightly to catch Samandriel's eye. Only she noticed when he waved his hand and she mouthed a quick 'thank you' before turning back to the police officer, a little rectangular notebook now in her hands. She wouldn't look like much of a reporter if she didn't write anything down, plus it was very likely that Thomas might tell them something useful.

"The dead. Rising. Like zombies." Lee punctuated each short, dubious sentence, hoping it would encourage the policeman to defend himself and tell them more. Thomas sat back in his chair, shrugging his broad shoulders.

"You asked for freaky stuff."

"No, yes, this is brilliant." Lee said hurriedly, scribbling down a few notes. "What else?"

"Well, I thought it was nonsense at first." Officer Thomas began. Lee heard her partner scoff behind her.

"Who wouldn't?" Adelaide muttered, not bothering to put on an accent. Thomas didn't seem to notice anyway, he was too excited to talk about the strange happenings.

"Exactly." He agreed. "But then, I got more and more calls. Just today I've had seven!"

"Have you told anyone about this?" Lee asked curiously. They didn't want people finding out about the frankly horrifying events happening right on their doorstep, hopefully the police hadn't let it get out yet. Officer Thomas twisted his mouth.

"Well, I told the Sheriff. One call is a nuisance, three is strange, but seven is just downright scary." That was reassuring, the information was limited to the police. But for how long? If people's dead loved ones were popping up, surely they wouldn't keep quiet about it. Soon the whole town would know and then maybe the whole city. They needed to work fast. "But she assured me it was nothing and that I shouldn't... Talk to anyone about it." Officer Thomas trailed off, his eyes growing wide as he realised what he'd done and Lee took that as their cue to leave. Before he could say another word, she snapped her notebook closed and flashed the policeman her best smile.

"Thank you, Officer Thomas. This has been most informative." Then she turned on her heel and strode towards the door. Adelaide too smiled at the police officer.

"Ta-ta." She said brightly, before following her friend. Thomas seemed too bewildered to think to stop them, but he did realise something before they could get too far.

"You didn't take any pictures." He called after Adelaide. She frowned at him for a moment before remembering that she was supposed to be a photographer.

"Oh, right." She muttered as she fumbled with the clunky camera around her neck. She raised it to her face and pointed the lens at Officer Thomas. "Say cheese!" The police officer gave her a cheery grin and she snapped a photo. Without another word, Adelaide left the room. Samandriel followed close behind, but he did turn back just before he went through the glass doors and waved at the policeman.

"It was nice meeting you!" He said politely. Officer Thomas waved back, still a little stunned by the whole encounter. Barely a second went by before the doors slid open again, and the two hunters and their angel were walking back into the room. They were followed by Sheriff Mills and two young men she had under arrest. Officer Thomas stood up from his seat, his cup of coffee halfway to his lips.

"What the-" He gasped at the sight but didn't have time to ask any questions.

"Thomas, open cells five and six." Sheriff Mills barked and he jumped into action, almost spilling his coffee in the process.

"Yes, Sheriff." He grabbed his keys and hurried past the small group, sending Lee a questioning glance as he led them to the cells. Sheriff Mills marched Dean, Sam, Adelaide, Lee and Samandriel through the police station to the jail, where they were divided into two cells, boys in one, girls in the other. Mills didn't say a word, but she did give them all a very steely glare before she left them in the darkened room. The Winchesters didn't have to explain what had happened, the girls could piece it together just fine. All Adelaide wanted to do was sleep, but it was hard to do on the single, warped bench they had in their cell. With a deep sigh, Lee slid down the wall until she was sat cross-legged on the grotty floor. It stank of urine and rotting wood and god knows what else, but she was too exhausted to care. In the cell next to theirs, Samandriel clearly didn't feel quite as irritated as they did.

"This has been an exciting day." He said happily, still smiling even when they all looked around at him with clear contempt. The hours passed very slowly. This wasn't the boys' first time in jail but Adelaide and Lee were first-time inmates. They told the Winchesters this through the cement wall that separated them, trying to find some way to pass the time. Anything to stop Adelaide singing 'Jailhouse Rock' on repeat. They theorised that they were just a lot more careful than the brothers or even, as Adelaide had joked, better hunters. Then Lee put in that it probably had something to do with the fact that they could usually charm their way out of most situations. They couldn't see the girls but neither of them missed the red hue to Samandriel's face as he realised what they were implying. Dean rolled his eyes and looked away from the angel who was sat beside him on the bench.

"So, what? Sheriff's on the take?" He directed the question at his brother but he would accept an answer from anyone. This case really had him stumped, any ideas would be well-received.

"Yeah. No. The zombies are paying her off?" Sam scoffed at the idea but understood where he was coming from. He had all sorts of mad theories as well. Sam slowly paced the cell for the best part of an hour, but there was no clock so he couldn't be sure. In the cell next to theirs, he could hear Adelaide and Lee playing the world's easiest game of I Spy. He chuckled when he heard Lee guess 'wall?' for the sixth time but froze when he saw something strange. A police officer walked through to the station and the doors were slow to close so he could see out into the adjacent room. "Hey." He called to Dean, gesturing for him to take a look. Dean leaned forward in his seat and frowned when he saw Bobby sitting next to Sheriff Mills. They were talking quietly and were very close, like they were discussing something private,

"So, what? Now they're friends?" He looked to Sam to see if he had some kind of answer but he was just as puzzled.

"Who are?" They heard Adelaide ask. Her voice was a little muffled but they could hear her press against the bars, trying to see what they could. Sam and Dean's cell lined up perfectly with the double doors but the girls were off to the right.

"What's happening?" Lee added, straining to see around the corner. They got their answer quickly. A police officer came through the doors and unlocked their cells, first Lee and Adelaide and then the Winchesters and Samandriel. They filed out through the doors, all looking very sorry for themselves as they walked past Sheriff Mills. Sam took hold of Bobby's chair and wheeled him through the station, but it was only an excuse to talk without being overhead.

"Bobby, I thought the Sheriff hated you?" He murmured. Sam remembered how Sheriff Mills had reacted when she'd learnt of their affiliation with Bobby Singer. She did not looked pleased at all and sent them away with a formal warning. But from what they'd seen of the pair, they looked like close friends.

"She did, till five days ago." Bobby replied, just as quietly. This made Adelaide frown but Dean asked her question before she could.

"What happened five days ago?"

"The dead started rising all over town." Bobby said, as if it were obvious. The hunters all exchanged confused looks before Sam asked,

"So you _knew_ about this?"

"I think what Sam meant to say is, you _lied_ to us?" Bobby huffed and stopped the wheels of his chair. Sam let go and Bobby turned around to face them all, his expression grim.

"Look, I told you there was nothing here. And there isn't. Not for you." He stated slowly and carefully, hoping that they would listen this time. Sam cleared his throat and they all stood to attention as a police officer walked by. They waited until he was around the corner before continuing their conversation.

"There are zombies here." Dean pressed, making Lee grimace. She didn't like the 'Z' word, it conjured up all sorts of awful images. Dean couldn't understand why his friend was being secretive. He'd known Bobby his whole life and he had never once lied to him, so what had changed? What was he hiding? Singer looked uncomfortable for a moment at all the stares he was getting from his companions.

"There are zombies... And then there are zombies." He told them, which Lee didn't think was at all helpful. Bobby wasn't one to mince his words and suddenly he was being so cryptic, it was like talking to the sphinx. "Come with me."

* * *

The boys and Bobby went to get their car from the impound lot next to the station whilst Adelaide and Lee got into their own car. Samandriel was so caught up in his whirlwind of an evening that he forgot about the rules and Lee yelled out 'shotgun' before he'd even set eyes on the Capri. Adelaide winced at her friend's incredibly loud shout, apologising to a few officers who were walking by. As soon as they saw the Impala pull out at the end of the road, they were off and headed for home. It was a quiet drive. They were all lost in their thoughts. A lot had happened in the last few hours and it would take a while for it all to process. When they arrived back at Bobby's, the girls immediately barraged the Winchesters with questions but Bobby hadn't said anything to them on the ride over. They were just as clueless as they were. They quickly went inside, it was early in the morning now but still freezing cold. Bobby pulled off his baseball cap as they followed him down the hall, throwing it carelessly onto a chest of drawers.

"You want to tell us what the hell…" Dean began to ask, but the sight that greeted him in the dining room left him speechless. Bobby continued into the room but the hunters stopped in the doorway, staring at the stranger setting the table. She was pale and her eyes were dull, but apart from that she looked like a normal woman. Her light blonde hair was neatly kept and her dress was yellow. She had a nice smile but she seemed a little surprised to see them all.

"Oh, hey." She greeted them, giving a little wave. "I didn't realize you were bringing company." She said to Bobby who was smiling softly at her.

"It's four a.m., babe. You didn't need to cook." He teased gently, a tone they had never heard him use before. Adelaide's eyes were wide and she knew it but she couldn't look away from the stranger. There was something off about her, something unnerving. It made her skin prickle. Beside her, she could see Lee reaching into her pocket for her knife. She must have felt it too.

"Oh, please!" The strange woman waved him off. "I'll get some more plates." Then she disappeared into the kitchen. The four hunters and Samandriel remained in the doorway, hardly moving a muscle. They stared after the woman, not letting down their guard even when she left the room.

"Who was that?" Dean asked slowly. Adelaide saw Bobby's expression as he turned to face them. He definitely looked guilty.

"Karen. My wife." He replied hesitantly. Lee's lips parted in surprise but she didn't say anything. In fact, she couldn't think of anything to say. Dean raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"Your _new_ wife?"

"My dead wife."


	18. Chapter 18

Samandriel watched his friend carefully, waiting for her to move. Amelia Lee hadn't said anything for a while, which was definitely out of the ordinary. Usually she spoke a mile a minute, it sometimes took him a while to catch up. But now she was silent as she gazed at the floor. Samandriel shuffled awkwardly, not sure what to do with himself. He heard his friend breath out a long, low sigh and decided to be brave.

"Are you okay?" Samandriel asked gently. Lee finally looked around, studying him for a second before she patted the space next to her, inviting him to sit which he did without hesitation.

"Yeah, mate, I'm fine." She assured him, although her smile didn't quite meet her eyes. Samandriel might not have been able to completely understand the complexities of human emotions just yet, but he wasn't stupid. He bowed his head ever so slightly, giving Lee a dubious look. She kept up her façade for a moment longer before cracking a real smile. "Alright, fine." She bumped his shoulder with hers, only pretending to be annoyed that she'd been caught out. "Just this is all a little..." Lee shaped her hands ineffectually whilst Samandriel's kind gaze never wavered. "Outside my comfort zone." She finished her inarticulate sentence with a slight sigh, her eyes dropping to the floor as her thoughts returned to the woman downstairs.

There was something very odd about Karen. She seemed lovely and had baked enough pies to feed an army, but even so, there was something about her. Something in her eyes. They were very clear, clinical even, if that were possible, and Lee knew she'd seen things that they could only imagine. Lee wanted to trust her for Bobby's sake, but whenever she looked at Karen, it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. Maybe Samandriel sensed it too because he hadn't said a word to Karen since they got back. The angel was silent for a little while, trying to decide the best way to proceed. Lee jumped when she suddenly found herself almost teetering off the edge of the chaise longue. Samandriel had unexpectedly vanished, she hadn't realised she'd been leaning against him. Then he reappeared again, this time with a book in his hands. His eyebrows drew together as he asked her,

"Do you want to read with me?" Lee studied the book sat in his lap. It was heavy and old and didn't look like a particularly stimulating read, but Samandriel found the ingredients lists on the back of food packaging interesting, simply because it was all new to him. He loved to read and he'd found it was always comforting to have the pages of one of Bobby's books between his fingers. They were worn and cracked but heavy with legends and tales from long ago, how could he possible resist? They always made him feel better, perhaps they would do the same for Amelia Lee. The hunter knew that he was trying to help her, she knew what the books he poured over meant to him. She held his gaze, only allowing herself a moment's indulgence to marvel at the colour and cordiality of his eyes before her lips twitched into a smile. Without another word, Samandriel leaned back against the patchy suede of the chaise longue, getting himself comfortable. He opened the book to the last paragraph he'd been reading. The book had no page numbers so he remembered his place by the illustrations, this time a crude, scratchy drawing of a vampire. It looked nothing like the ones they had fought together, but the book was so ancient, he supposed they could have evolved since it was written.

Samandriel glanced at his friend, who was still sat on the very edge of the chaise, her hands clasped together anxiously. Her lip was caught between her teeth again and while it was a spectacular thing to watch, he wanted Lee to relax. He gestured for her to sit back, to come closer and look at the pages of the book he'd selected. The lip-biting stopped and her shoulders slumped. Lee shifted in her seat until she was leaning back against the purple cushions, a sigh leaving her lips as she finally let herself relax. He began to read aloud, which he liked to do because it felt like he was practising. This human voice and tongue were tricky to manoeuvre, but thankfully languages were not a problem. Soon he will have perfected the speech patterns and intonations that he heard his human companions use every day. Already he'd begun to notice how flat and lifeless his brother Castiel's words could be, although he was improving.

Lee rested her head against Samandriel's shoulder, her eyes beginning to close. Because of their little stint in the police station, she hadn't had a chance to sleep yet. She was exhausted, but she wouldn't complain, not ever. This was her life, it wasn't often she felt fully-rested. Though, leaning against Samandriel, listening to the slow in and out of his breathing and the soft tone of his voice, it was all making her feel very peaceful. She wanted to listen to him read to her, but she couldn't help but feel lulled by Samandriel's voice. Very soon, her eyes had closed completely. He was always warm, that was the loveliest thing. And so gentle. She knew he had unimaginable power, but he was always so careful around her and his new friends, as if he was afraid he'd hurt them. She could listen to him speak forever without once getting tired. Oh, she was in trouble. All too soon, she could hear footsteps tapping on the stairs and across the landing. Before she dropped off to sleep completely, the bedroom door opened and Adelaide stepped in. She slowly shut the door, a stark contrast to the way she usually clattered about, slamming drawers and dropping objects carelessly onto table tops. She walked right past the chaise and her friends to the only bed in the room.

"Things aren't looking too good, guys." Adelaide didn't notice the way Lee straightened up in her seat so that she no longer leaned against the angel beside her, but Samandriel certainly did. He frowned curiously at her, not understanding why she had shot up so quickly, but she didn't meet his eyes. Lee pretended to watch Adelaide as she dug through her duffel bag, feeling far too embarrassed to even glance Samandriel's way.

"I don't wanna get involved." She said, her voice sounding a lot quieter than she had intended. This really wasn't anything to do with them. They weren't family. They'd only known the Winchesters for a month or so, they had no right to get involved in whatever the hell was going on downstairs. When Bobby tried to explain that Karen remembered everything from her previous life, the girls had accidentally learned of the circumstances of her untimely demise. They quickly realised that they were intruding and left the room silently, Samandriel in tow. They'd been upstairs in their room ever since.

"Me neither." Adelaide grimaced as she thought back to the scene she'd found downstairs. They'd only been hiding for a few minutes before Adelaide realised she'd left all her things downstairs. Ignoring Lee's warnings, she'd gone in search of her bag. She remembered she'd left it by the front door, but unfortunately the library seemed to be where the majority of the arguing was happening. As she snuck by, she saw Karen waiting out in the hall. She was picking up the odd bits of bric-a-brac that Bobby always had lying around and seemed to be inspecting them for dust. A floorboard creaked under her feet and Adelaide froze when Karen's peculiar eyes landed on her. The woman smiled at her kindly and Adelaide tried to emulate it, but she knew it looked strained. She'd grabbed her bag before Karen could say a word to her and crept back upstairs.

Now she was emptying its contents out on the bed, just for something to do. She selected a knife from the seemingly bottomless bag and set about sharpening it. "Do you remember when we used to just drive around the country, eating bad food and hunting monsters?" Adelaide was only joking, but her wistful smile gave away her true feelings. She did miss the days before crossing paths with the Winchesters, when it was just her and Lee and the open road. It was selfish to wish she'd never offered up their services in the first place, especially because she didn't regret the choice one bit, but she couldn't help but reminisce. Lee turned around in her seat so that she was kneeling on the worn suede, her forearms resting on the back of the chaise.

"Life was so much simpler back then." She said dreamily, immediately joining in on the joke. They shared a clandestine smile. Even though they didn't belong to the somewhat broken family downstairs, it was reassuring to know they had each other through thick and thin. Beside her, Samandriel began to smile too.

"That sounds fun." He said, lifting his chin so that his gaze travelled across the cracked, cobwebbed ceiling. He didn't like the idea of his friends sleeping in such a neglected room, but it wasn't Bobby's fault that his house was so old. He brainstormed a few ways he might improve their accommodation as he continued. "I'm quite jealous." Another thought interrupted his renovation plans and he began to frown. "At least, I think I am." He looked to Lee for confirmation which he got in the form of a kind smile. Lee could never know for certain what he was feeling but from his expression and the context, she could make an educated guess.

"There's no need to be, you're doing all that with us now." She reminded him, then to his delight, she reached over and squeezed his shoulder. He knew she was only comforting him, but he still enjoyed the contact greatly and his frown was instantly replaced by a wide smile of his own.

"I suppose." He sat up and mirrored Lee's position, knees on the chaise, forearms along its golden frame. He watched Adelaide as she sharpened her knife with great interest. He still had so much to learn from these humans, so he studied every move they made with great care, committing every detail to memory. "But I think it would be nicer if it were under different circumstances." He said as an afterthought. Adelaide looked up at that and smiled when she saw the way Lee and Samandriel were sat. They looked quite sweet but she daren't say it out loud.

"What do you mean?" She asked instead, resting her knife on her thigh for a moment to give the angel her full attention. Samandriel didn't think he would have to elaborate so his reply wasn't as fluent as usual.

"Well, you know, the impending Apocalypse." He said, glancing at Lee to make sure he hadn't made a mistake. Lee recognised this worried look and shook her head slightly, making him visibly relax. Adelaide chuckled at his response and went back to her knife. She wasn't choosy about her weaponry care so her sharpener was just a cheap one from a homeware shop back home. It did the job and they were regularly low of funds, why splurge on something so trivial?

"Oh, yeah." Adelaide realised, then laughed again. Lee raised her head from where she'd propped it up on her arms.

"You forget about Armageddon?" She asked incredulously. Adelaide looked offended as she gestured wildly between them and the door.

"There's a lot going on!" She retorted, clearly referring to the messy situation downstairs. Lee scoffed and shook her head, but she could see where Adelaide was coming from. They had a lot on their plate, it would be nice if the Winchesters could save their family dramas until after they'd stopped the end of the world. Lee turned her head to Samandriel and gave him a broad smile

"Well, you're very welcome to join us after all this is over." She told him. Never had she seen a look of such pure, unadulterated joy in all her life. All she'd promised him was a life on the road, hunting creatures and narrowly avoiding incarceration, but to Samandriel, who had the world in the palm of his hand, that was better than anything.

"Really?" He all but breathed the word, like he couldn't believe what she'd said. Lee's heart flip-flopped at the sound. He was really testing her mettle. She looked back to Adelaide to make sure she was alright with it, and to her relief, her friend was smiling just as widely and she was.

"Of course." Adelaide replied, shrugging her shoulders to show she had no problem with him tagging along. She hadn't really thought about what Samandriel might do after all this was over. If she was honest, she hadn't thought about the future at all. Maybe a small part of her didn't think they would succeed in stopping the Apocalypse. She wanted to believe that everything would work out, but the odds were stacked against them. Would she and Lee go back home? Sometimes she felt like she'd had enough of America to last her a lifetime. Adelaide didn't feel like she belonged, not really. Sometimes the sunlight didn't feel right on her skin and the air was difficult to breathe, it was like wearing someone else's shoes. She cared about the Winchesters and all the other friends they'd made during their stay. Maybe she would feel differently once all this was over and done with. That is, of course, if they weren't over and done with first. Adelaide smirked and raised her eyebrows at her partner. "Although, I can't help but think you're being awfully optimistic." She teased, voicing her thoughts. Lee shrugged carelessly, she clearly hadn't put as much thought into it.

"Well, there's no point in being pessimistic, is there?" She replied lightly. She hated to admit it, but Lee had a point. Adelaide knew that if she put too much thought into it then she'd start to worry, so she decided to change the subject. She picked up a different knife and ran it through the sharpener, trying to distract herself once again.

"Where do you want to go?" She asked Samandriel. "Once this is all over?" The angel looked pensive, which the girls thought of as his default expression. Samandriel had rarely been sent on missions when he worked for Heaven. He was a very low-ranking angel, something he hadn't told his new friends. He was quite embarrassed about it really. His brother Gabriel was an archangel, one of Heaven's best warriors, and Castiel had been a renowned soldier before he'd become a revolutionary. Samandriel knew it was ridiculous to care about that sort of thing, it certainly didn't matter now. Still, he wanted Lee and Adelaide to feel safe with him, not that they needed protecting. He worried that they wouldn't trust him so much if they knew of his low rank.

His knowledge of earth was very limited. Samandriel had always thought it rather strange that he'd been charged with protecting the humans and yet he'd never met one before. Not a live one, at least. He'd visited many souls in Heaven and had learnt all he could from the snapshots of life carefully held within. It had never been enough but angels don't complain, they just work. Now he was on Earth and it was so beautiful. The humans hardly noticed it, but he supposed they were simply used to their surroundings. Everything, from the tiniest ants to the tallest trees, were new and breath-taking and full of life. It truly was astounding. He would never go back to Heaven again now he'd tasted freedom. Not that they'd let him come back. He gave the women a shy smile and admitted,

"I'd like to see where you're from." Samandriel noted the surprised looks on their faces. They obviously hadn't expected that. He'd only seen a tiny patch of the planet, there was still so much world out there to discover. Lee and Adelaide were from a place that he'd only ever heard about in the reports of other angels, but he suspected his knowledge needed updating. Lee didn't think there was anything about her home that an angel would find at all interesting, but he looked so eager, perhaps it would be nice to take him there one day. "Oh, and to meet your families, of course." Samandriel added, making Adelaide snort.

"You want to meet our families?" She repeated dubiously. Adelaide didn't know why she was still surprised by the things Samandriel said, she really ought to be used to it by now.

"Well, you've met mine." He looked a little sheepish at that. His brothers and sisters were less than friendly. But he supposed without Lucifer and Michael fighting, he never would have met his new friends. "I'm hoping yours are a lot more... Peaceful." He chose his words with noticeable care and it made the two women smile. Lee shrugged, sliding back into her seat after her legs started to go numb.

"I dunno what my mum and dad would say about meeting an angel. They're hunters, remember." She told Samandriel. He felt his heart sink. He'd forgotten, if only briefly, about Lee's heritage. She was from a long line of hunters. Samandriel was eager to meet them, but he didn't think the feeling would be mutual. Lee saw the hurt look on the angel's face and silently implored Adelaide to step in. She floundered for a moment before she finally thought of something helpful.

"My mum would love to meet you." Adelaide said quickly, making Samandriel visibly perk up. "She'd think you were cute as a button. You'd have a hard time leaving." Adelaide wasn't lying, she knew her mum would adore Samandriel. He was quiet and polite and that's all it took to earn her mother's approval. God knows what she'd make of Gabriel. The angel looked pleased but then his expression turned thoughtful. Samandriel's mouth opened as if he were about to say something but then he changed his mind. He looked between the two hunters then let out a soft laugh.

"I don't think anyone would want to leave somewhere they are loved." He murmured, smiling down at his folded hands. Lee's shoulders relaxed as a slight sigh left her. She gazed at the angel beside her, completely blindsided by his sweet words. She couldn't quite articulate her pride, so she looked to her best friend, who had always been better with words. Adelaide shook her head slightly, the sick feeling in her stomach forgotten.

"You know," She said quietly. "For someone who's so new at this, you're awfully brilliant, Samandriel." The angel looked up at her, clearly surprised by the compliment. He and Adelaide were good friends, this he was sure of, but such praise was rare from her. He certainly wouldn't take it for granted.

"Thank you, Adelaide." He replied brightly, a grin now replacing his thoughtful little smile. Adelaide waved him off, shaking her head again but she was smiling too. They all looked around when they heard Dean calling the hunters' names. Adelaide twisted her mouth letting out a quiet groan. She had hoped that the boys downstairs wouldn't notice them sneaking off, clearly they hadn't been as covert as they'd hoped. Perhaps when they got downstairs, Bobby would have eloquently explained everything and the Winchesters would be calm and sensible. Adelaide almost laughed out loud at that thought but the memory of Karen's clear, still eyes sobered her.

"C'mon." Lee announced, slapping the tattered seat of the chaise to indicate it was time to leave. Adelaide begrudgingly got off the bed and packed away her things. She was reluctant to leave their room, who knows what would meet them downstairs. They'd faced crazy before, but this was on another level. She left first, trying to be brave, and Samandriel made to follow her but Lee grabbed his arm. She usually had to remind herself to be gentle, she'd always been rather rough and tumble, but then she remembered that her grabbing Samandriel's arm a little too hard was the equivalent of someone throwing a balled up sheet of paper at her. He looked down at her quizzically, perpetual smile never fading. Lee would never get tired of the way he looked at her. "Thank you, by the way." She told him. "You made me feel a lot better." She felt quite embarrassed to admit such a thing, it wasn't how she was raised at all, but it felt strangely good to show her gratitude. The joyful expression on Samandriel's face also helped enormously.

"I'm glad." He replied earnestly. "I don't like seeing you upset." Lee looked away from him, her face suddenly feeling unbearably hot. She cleared her throat, cursing herself for being so emotionally inarticulate. She suddenly remembered that she was still holding onto Samandriel's arm, her fingers wrapped around the space just above his elbow. She awkwardly let him go, trying not to think about how surprisingly muscular the angel was then gestured for him to go first out of the door. Lee watched him leave, letting out a deep sigh as she tried to collect her thoughts. Then she squared her shoulders and followed him downstairs. They didn't see Bobby or Karen as they walked through the house, but did spot Sam and Dean waiting outside through the open front door. The Winchesters looked around when the hunters and their angel came trampling out into the yard, pulling jackets around themselves as the cold air hit them. Sam offered them a small smile that they only faintly returned. Adelaide and Lee shared a glance, silently deciding they wouldn't ask what the Winchesters and Bobby had discussed. It hadn't gone well, that much was obvious, and that was all they needed to know.

"I'll see what else we can find out." Sam decided, his voice lower and more resigned than usual. Lee stepped forward, not wanting to be left out of the loop again.

"We'll go with you." She said immediately. Adelaide nodded her agreement when Sam looked her way. They all piled into the Impala, the weight of all that they'd seen heavy on their shoulders. The drive was quiet. No one said a word until they stopped in a pretty little street and stepped onto the pavement. It was like something out a magazine, proper front gardens with picket fences and neat driveways. Adelaide wrinkled her nose. It was unsettling for something so strange to happen in such a perfect little town. They each grabbed some form of weapon, a gun or a knife, whichever was the easiest to conceal. All apart from Samandriel, who had more power in his little finger than they had altogether. Lee made sure Adelaide was ready first before she announced,

"Me and Samandriel will start down the other end of the street." She thought it would be better to split up, it would save valuable time. Adelaide was a little nervous about being separated from Lee again when they weren't entirely sure what was going on, but her friend looked sure and besides, she had Samandriel.

"There's a guy called William Humphries at number twelve." Sam remembered, pointing down the street to a small house near the end of the row. Lee nodded to show she understood. "Call if you see anything weird." Sam added before they parted ways, leaving the two pairs with a worryingly vague idea of what they might find behind closed doors.

* * *

Adelaide and Sam reached number 53, an adorable little house with a painted front door and garden ornaments. Sam looked down at the list Bobby had given him before he knocked briskly on the door. Adelaide sighed and stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. The afternoon was wearing on but it was near freezing and she hadn't worn a coat. Her nose and fingers felt numb but she tried to focus on the situation at hand, hoping that if she ignored the feeling then it would go away. Sam looked over his shoulder at the little garden as he waited but still no one came. He knocked again and Adelaide let out another long sigh, watching her breath as it billowed in the frigid air. She looked down and kicked the toe of her boot against the front porch, trying to get the feeling back into her feet, but something caught her eye.

"Sam." She murmured, immediately catching the Winchester's attention. Beside her foot was a splattering of blood. What was worrying was that it looked fresh. Sam twisted the doorknob and thankfully, the door swung open. They looked over their shoulders, making sure no one was watching them, then stepped inside. The house was warm, but not comfortably so. The air felt thick to breathe and a strange smell hung in the rooms, but neither of them could name it.

"Ezra Jones?" Sam's voice interrupted the stillness. He hoped that they'd misinterpreted the situation, but the house was silent, no one answered his call. The place was a mess. Adelaide frowned at a lampshade hanging over an old radiator, various sheets and clothes flung over an upturned mattress, and an old doll whose eyes seemed to follow them around the room. A throaty cough caught their attentions. It came from the next room. Sam looked over at Adelaide and she nodded faintly back. He gritted his teeth then carefully stepped over the piles of miscellaneous trash to peek around the corner. An old woman lay in a bed, obviously sick. She hacked and groaned, her whole body shaking with each cough. Sam froze in the doorway, not sure whether to be wary or not. "Ezra Jones?" He guessed. The woman didn't say anything, but she did heave another rattling cough. She gestured for Sam to come closer, but he was reluctant. By now, Adelaide had joined his side. She took one look at the croaking old woman and she shook her head.

"No way." She said firmly, her eyes never leaving the lady. She didn't know what was going on, but she was certain she was going nowhere near the bed. The lady heaved again and foam dribbled down her chin. Still she gestured for Sam to come closer. The hunter repressed a shudder and gradually moved across the room.

"What is it?" He asked the woman, but the only sound she made was another disgusting cough. "You think maybe you could tell me from here?" Sam looked back at Adelaide, who stubbornly hadn't moved from the doorway. He sighed and returned his attention to the old woman. "Yeah. I'm gonna regret this." He muttered. Sam leaned close as she tried to say something. Her words came out choked and unintelligible, more foam spilling down her chin. Adelaide watched carefully, still not trusting the woman. Her instincts proved to be correct. The woman suddenly lunged forward and knocked Sam onto his back. Before Adelaide could even blink, she jumped out of the bed and pinned Sam to the floor. Adelaide rushed forward and tried to pull the old woman off him, but she was knocked back by an unnatural strength.

Sam noticed a dead man on the floor behind him, his stomach bloodied and torn. If he didn't act quickly, he'd have the same fate. He managed to grab his gun from his pocket whilst keeping the woman's snapping jaws away from his face. She gave a horrifying scream and he took his chance, shooting Mrs. Jones in the head through her open mouth. She fell with a thud next to him and he hurried to his feet, letting out a disgusted groan as he wiped away the mucous she had drizzled onto his chest. Sam looked around for Adelaide and saw her slumped against the wall. She let out a low moan as he helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?" He asked quickly. Adelaide put a hand to her head then checked her palm. No blood, thank God. She looked back at the now silent body of the old woman and pulled a face.

"What the fuck?"

* * *

Lee knocked three times on the peeling door. Beside her, Samandriel was surveying the untidy front garden. There was a broken lawnmower in the corner of the yard and a few shattered flower pots. This house wasn't like the others.

"Mr. Humphries?" Lee waited a moment before banging her fist against the door again. When they still got no reply, she bent down and stuck her fingers through the letterbox. All she could see was an empty hallway. Lee glanced up at Samandriel and saw that he was peering curiously into the front windows of the house. He couldn't see anyone either. Lee sighed, leaned forward, and spoke directly into the open letterbox. "Hello?" She called, using her most authoritative tone. "We're with the FBI, Mr. Humphries. We just need to talk to you for a second." She waited a little longer before straightening up and knocking again. "Hello?" Despite her persistence, there was still no reply. Lee was an even-tempered woman, but after the night she'd had, her patience was beginning to wane.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance and gave the door a short, sharp kick. To her dismay, it made an almighty racket as the old door rattled on its hinges, and her toes were sore beneath the soft material of her shoes. Samandriel had been about to tell her off, he didn't think it was particularly polite to go around kicking people's front doors, but an almighty creak interrupted him. The door slowly began to move, swinging open with the momentum of Lee's aggravated action. The sound set the hunter's teeth on edge, her hands instinctively balling into fists. The horrific creaking and the dark, empty hallway that lay behind the door were very Scooby-Doo, but she forced down her fears. They waited in silence. Surely Mr. Humphries would have heard the front door, and if he wasn't home, why was his door open? Lee knew that people in these parts tended to leave their doors unlocked but with all that was going on in town, she would've thought that they might take precautions.

"There's no one here." Samandriel decided after a considerable silence had passed. Lee wanted to agree with him, it certainly seemed that way, but something was off. She didn't know what, but her gut was telling her that something was wrong. Lee reached out and brushed her fingers against the door, edging it back the last few inches. A scarf, a hat, and a battered old coat hung from a hook on the wall. It was freezing outside, if Mr. Humphries was out, he would've taken his coat. Lee frowned and took a tentative step forward. The house was deadly silent. Still no one came to answer the door. Lee slowly edged down the hallway, Samandriel following close behind after he'd closed the door. She kept her breathing slow and steady. The house gave her the creeps, but she couldn't just walk away.

She ignored the stairs for now, choosing instead to tiptoe through to the next room, a kitchen. Lee froze and sniffed the air when she caught a familiar scent. Her heart began to beat a little faster and she led Samandriel through to the next room. As she passed through, her keen eyes noticed marks in the white paint of the doorframe. Rigid grooves had been dug into the wood, like someone had dragged their fingernails across it. Lee felt a chill wash over her skin and she had to fight a shudder. What had happened here? She moved away from the doorway and crept through the dining room. Someone had laid out dinner on the table, but the meat and vegetables were cold and dry by the looks of it. No one had been here in a while and they had left in a hurry. Lee quickly decided she'd seen enough. There was no one home and this place was giving her the creeps. She turned to speak to Samandriel but saw he'd walked past her. He was headed for the adjacent room but as Lee followed his movements, she saw something that made her heart stop.

"Wait!" She jumped forward and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him back away from the next room. Samandriel let out a startled sound and stumbled back, but Lee had taken him by surprise, jerked him too suddenly, and Samandriel almost tripped over. He caught himself but the momentum swung him around and into her. Lee felt the air being pushed out of her lungs as her back thumped against the wall and Samandriel slammed into her. She gasped and her hand gripped his shoulder for support. It took a moment for her to realise that the angel was talking to her.

"Gosh, Amelia Lee, I'm so sorry." He babbled. "Are you okay?" She nodded breathlessly and released her death grip on his shoulder. She looked up and was suddenly breathless for an entirely different reason. Being this close to him, Lee could see every little detail of the angel. She could smell the soap on his skin and make out a few light freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks. The bright blue of his eyes was only a feeble distraction from his lips so close to hers. In the time it took her to notice all these little details, Samandriel had fumbled and apologised his way off her. She saw that his cheeks were beginning to grow red with embarrassment, either because of his clumsiness, or he'd noticed her wondering gaze. Lee cleared her throat and pushed herself away from the wall.

"Yeah, sorry. Um, I'm fine. I'm- Yeah. Sorry." She sighed at her own awkwardness then looked back to the doorway. Samandriel followed her gaze and almost gasped when he saw what she had. He was thankful for Lee's quick reactions, he had just been about to walk through a wide puddle. The spill was almost black in the low light of the house, but it was unmistakable. Blood. The strong tang of iron was so strong, Lee had smelt the mess from the next room. "Watch your step." She murmured, and Samandriel gave a tiny nod, his wide eyes glued to the brimming pool in the doorway. Lee glanced around the dark room, but saw no sign of a body or an attacker. The house was silent as a grave. "Let's get out of here." She decided. "Something's definitely not right."

She turned on her heel, leading Samandriel back through the kitchen to the hallway. It was clear that Mr. William Humphries, whoever he was, was not home. But something had happened in his house, she had to find out whether he had anything to do with it. Samandriel silently followed his friend but almost ran into her when she came to an abrupt stop in the centre of the front hall. Her eyes were wide, staring straight ahead. "Samandriel," She murmured, fear lowering her voice. "Did you leave the door open?" Samandriel looked over to the front door and felt his heart pound when he saw that it was wide open.

"No," He replied, matching her soft, low tone. "I definitely closed it." Lee took a step back from the door, her head turning in all directions, now on high alert. Her hand went straight for the gun at her side, her fingers slipping over the holster but she didn't remove it yet.

"We need to leave." She whispered, her eyes darting around the room. "Now." The word had barely left her mouth when there was a sudden, terrifying scream. A dark shaped rushed out of the living room, moving too quick for them to see it properly, and collided with Lee. The hunter had no time to react and fell to the floor with a heavy thud. The man's weight crushed the wind out of her but she didn't have time to get her breath back. Mr. Humphries swung wildly for her, trying to grab her neck. She let out a cry as she tried to keep him at bay. His eyes were wild and bloodshot, foam speckled his lips. His jaws snapped like he was trying to bite her. Thankfully, Samandriel gripped the man by the collar of his jacket and wrenched him off her. The angel threw the man against the wall as if he weighed nothing.

Lee sucked in a deep breath and Samandriel helped her up, keeping her steady. He didn't have time to ask if she was alright, the man had already staggered to his feet, angrier than ever. He let out another furious roar and stumbled towards them, hands raised high. Lee pulled out her gun and pointed it right at Humphries but he didn't stop. She waited another second before giving a frustrated groan and putting her gun away again. As he drew closer, she stepped forward and punched him right on the nose. The man growled but he didn't back down.

"Amelia Lee?" Samandriel asked uncertainly. He didn't know what to do. They couldn't hurt this man, he clearly wasn't himself. All they could do was slow him down. Lee raised her hands out in front of her, trying to reason with the wild man. "Mr. Humphries!" She tried, hoping the sound of his name might knock some sense into him. "William, stop!" But the man roared again and charged at them. Lee ducked out of his way and called for the angel to follow her. They stumbled out of the door, just trying to get out in the open air. They had to put some space in-between them and Mr. Humphries, God knows what he'd do if he caught them. Lee pulled Samandriel behind her, shielding him from the seemingly rabid old man. Mr. Humphries staggered out into his front garden, snarling and howling like a mad dog. Lee spread her arms out, trying to protect Samandriel and stop the man from getting any closer.

"Mr. Humphries, we're here to help." She made one last attempt at communicating with the man, but he clearly wasn't responding. Whatever had taken hold of him had eradicated any sense of humanity. The hunter stepped backwards, moving Samandriel further away from Mr. Humphries.

"Lee!" They both looked around at the sudden shout and were relieved to see Sam and Adelaide charging towards them. Lee tried to explain but before she could open her mouth, Sam raised his pistol and fired two rounds into Mr. Humphries' head. The man shrieked then fell heavily to the ground. Adelaide ran immediately to her best friend's side and checked her over, looking for any sign of injury. Thankfully, they were all unharmed.

"Woah." Lee breathed, clutching onto Adelaide's shoulder for support. She still hadn't quite got her breath back and the shock of the attack was making her head spin. She closed her eyes for a moment, holding onto Adelaide's shoulder like it was the only thing keeping her upright, then let out a breathless laugh. "Bloody hell."

"Are you alright?" Adelaide asked, glancing at Samandriel to check that he was safe too. The angel nodded and gave her a slight smile so she returned her attention to her partner. Lee finally let go of her shoulder and pulled herself together.

"Yeah, but what the hell's going on?" She asked Sam and Adelaide, who exchanged a worried glance.

"We found the old lady, she looked exactly the same." Sam explained, nodding back down the road to Ezra Miller's house. Humphries' snarls and cries sounded exactly the same as the old woman's. Lee gawked at them both, confusion wrinkling her forehead.

"She attacked you?" She could hardly believe that the good, honest people of Sioux Falls were turning dangerous. This was a nice town in a relatively quiet city, stuff like this just didn't happen here.

"She nearly got Sam but he blew her head off." Adelaide pulled a face as she replayed what she'd seen in her head. "It was not pretty." Lee looked back at Samandriel, silently asking if he was alright. He smiled and squeezed her arm comfortingly. They were safe, but it had been a close one. Lee shook her head, wild hair flying.

"What's going on in this town?"

* * *

"Keep your damn voices down. Karen's upstairs." With his warning in mind, the hunters followed Bobby through to the library. All the curtains were drawn, casting a dark shadow over every face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. We're a little tense right now." Dean muttered in response, making Sam sigh slightly but he didn't say anything. He was constantly caught in the middle when Bobby and Dean fought, but this time, he knew it would be better to keep quiet. "Who's old lady Jones?" Bobby rested his hands on the wheels of his chair, not looking nearly as nervous as the other hunters. They were all pretty shaken by what they'd seen that day.

"The first one to come up."

"First one to go bad." Sam added, raising his eyebrows and hoping Bobby would get the point. But the older hunter merely shrugged and brushed off his words.

"Ah, she was always a nutty broad." Dean scoffed.

"Nutty how? Nutty like the way she ate her husband's stomach? Was that the level of nutty she was in life?" His voice rose slightly, his frustration beginning to show and everyone tensed. All eyes were on Bobby, waiting to see if he'd combat them again. Finally, he seemed to lower his defences.

"No." He admitted. Dean was glad they were getting somewhere, Bobby couldn't keep ignoring the obvious dangers in town.

"And that other guy, Humphries? What about him?" Sam put in, gesturing to Lee, who was still reeling from the attack. It had been a close one, that's for sure. She could still feel the old man's weight against her skin, still hear his violent screams in her ears. Adelaide touched her elbow comfortingly and she gave her a partner a grateful smile.

"He was a lonely old coot." Bobby explained. "Never bothered anyone. Kept to himself mostly."

"I wish he'd kept a little more to himself." Lee muttered, and Bobby looked guilty. He wished Lee hadn't gotten so close to Humphries, but he still couldn't let himself believe that every newly risen citizen would turn out like that.

"Look, Bobby, I feel for you." Dean reasoned, trying to regain control of his temper, for the sake of his brother who he could sense was growing aggravated. "But you have got to acknowledge that you're not exactly seeing this straight!"

"Bobby, whether you admit it or not, these things are turning. We have to stop them." Sam paused, glancing in the direction of the stairs. "All of them." He added finally. His insinuation was clear. Adelaide held her breath as Bobby wheeled himself across the room, wondering what he'd say in response. Karen was a touchy subject, that much was clear. She knew the boys were right but their sensitivity was lacking. To their shock, Bobby pulled out a gun and rested it on his lap.

"Time to go." His voice was dark, his expression unforgiving. Dean stared at the man who was like a second father to him, then at the gun in his hand.

"What?" He all but breathed the word, all his anger dissipating in an instant. Bobby stayed resolute.

"You heard me. Off my property." He nodded in the direction of the door, but no one moved. Samandriel looked to Lee for assurance, but her eyes were glued on the gun in Bobby's hand. She could hardly believe what her friend was saying. The gun wasn't pointed at them, but the threat was clear.

"Or what? You'll shoot?" Sam almost scoffed at the idea, but he daren't. Uncertainty hung heavy in the air. Any man was capable of firing when it came to his loved ones, and Bobby had already lost his wife once, he wasn't going to say goodbye to her again.

"If Karen turns, I will handle it my way." Bobby assured them, not backing down.

"This is dangerous." Dean warned him, but the older hunter cocked the gun, his intentions clear.

"I'm not telling you twice." Adelaide glanced at her partner and they silently agreed to move. Lee led them out of the door, gesturing for Samandriel to follow her as she passed him. After a moment, the Winchesters joined them. Dean ran a hand through his hair and got into his car, drumming his fingers hard against the steering wheel. Sam got in beside him but they didn't drive away. They were obviously discussing what had just transpired in the library, so the girls didn't interrupt. Adelaide hopped up on the hood of her faithful old car and Lee joined her, leaning back against the glass. Samandriel vanished and they wondered where he'd disappeared to, but then Adelaide turned around and saw him sitting in the driver's seat of her car. She shook her head fondly and left him to it. Lee gazed up at the darkening sky, turning an idea over and over in her head. Something had been bothering her recently, but she wasn't sure what to do about it. She glanced at Samandriel through the windshield and saw he was toying with the gear stick with fascination.

"I've been thinking." She said suddenly. Adelaide smirked but didn't look up from the gun in her hands. She was cleaning the weapon, getting ready for the fight ahead. She wanted to be ready in case anyone else decided they wanted to take a bite out of her friends.

"Uh oh." She muttered, making Lee sigh deeply. Adelaide chuckled as she clicked the magazine back in place. She glanced at her partner. "What's up?" Lee looked visibly uncomfortable, she clearly wasn't happy about whatever it was she needed to talk about. Adelaide began to frown, both out of curiosity and concern, but before she could ask what was wrong, Lee continued.

"Me and Samandriel." She said slowly, choosing her words with care. "We're really close and that's great. But do you think it'd be good for him to... Socialise a bit?" That hadn't been what Adelaide was expecting at all. She thought her surprise must have been clear in her expression because Lee was quick to explain herself. "It's just he's always with me and he doesn't really spend any time with you or the guys." She worried her lip, glancing in the brothers' direction to make sure they were out of earshot. Thankfully, the Winchesters were deep in conversation and they wouldn't be overheard. Adelaide pondered over her question, she'd honestly never really thought about it before. Samandriel followed Lee around like a puppy, yes, but he kept her safe and helped on hunts. Adelaide didn't see their closeness as an issue, especially because it meant she didn't have to worry about her partner's safety. You really couldn't get better protection that an actual guardian angel.

"Well, you've done a really good job showing him the ropes." She assured her friend, just in case she was doubting her teaching skills. When Samandriel first arrived, he was like a blank slate. Now, he had a personality and a sense of humour and was honestly so kind and caring, Adelaide found herself forgetting that he wasn't even human. She tilted her head to the side, eyebrows drawn together. "Are you worried he might start to get too attached?" She wondered. Lee began to shake her head but stopped and mulled over Adelaide's question properly.

"He's by my side 24/7. Which isn't a bad thing, I love having him around." She added quickly, not wanting her partner to get the wrong idea. "But do you think he ought to spend some time with other people?" Adelaide finally understood what she was talking about and sat back in her seat, her mouth all twisted in thought. It was good that Lee and Samandriel had such a strong bond, but she was right. The angel couldn't spend all his time with Lee. "I know he's an angel and a hundred times more powerful than I can even fathom, but he's still my mate, you know. And I worry about him." Lee looked down at her lap, hiding her face behind her wild hair. She wasn't usually this open about her feelings, even with Adelaide. She felt awkward sharing this information, but the only way to stop her inner-turmoil was to get some advice. There was certainly no one else that she'd go to for comfort other than Adelaide. That gave her an idea. Lee looked up again, her embarrassment gone now. "Would you stay with him? Then I'll know he's safe." Adelaide looked around at the angel who was still sat in the driver's seat. He glanced up when he saw her watching him and gave her a little wave. She chuckled and turned back to her partner.

"I'd be honoured." She promised her, and Lee's expression settled with relief. A car door slammed, making them look around sharply. Dean was stalking across the lot, heading back to Bobby's house. Someone cleared their throat and they found Sam standing in front of the car. Samandriel spotted him too. He appeared beside Lee, smiling enthusiastically. Sam gave them a weak smile then began to explain the feeble plan he'd moulded together.

"Alright. Adelaide, me and you are gonna go talk to the Sheriff." He looked between the angel and Lee. "Do you wanna go around the neighbourhood and see if anyone needs help?" Lee opened her mouth to reply but Adelaide got there faster.

"Actually," She said slowly, glancing at Lee to make sure she was alright with her interrupting. "I think you should take Lee." Her partner looked confused for a moment before she realised what she was doing. Sam frowned at the women.

"But won't Samandriel want to-" Adelaide slid off the bonnet of her car, quickly interrupting Sam again.

"Me and Samandriel can have a look round. Can't we, mate?" She nudged the angel's arm and grinned up at him. Samandriel seemed a little taken aback but he didn't protest. Adelaide was grateful for his politeness, being rejected would've been extremely embarrassing.

"Yeah. Sure. Okay." He agreed, returning her smile though she could sense his hesitancy. Sam looked between the hunters and their angel then shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, okay. If you're sure." He said to Lee directly. Usually the hunter and Samandriel were inseparable, he hadn't seen them apart since he'd met them. What had changed? Sam didn't think they'd had a fight, he couldn't even imagine what that would look like. He stopped himself before he could ponder over the situation any longer. They had bigger fish to fry. Lee moved forward to stand beside Sam, then nodded in the direction of the Impala.

"C'mon, let's go." She smiled at Adelaide and Samandriel, raising her hand in farewell. "See you later, guys."

"Stay safe." Adelaide replied, only half joking. She watched her best friend climb into the passenger seat of the Impala and tried not worry about her. Amelia Lee had been training to kill monsters while Adelaide was still learning her times tables. She knew she had nothing to worry about really, but she still prayed that Sam had her friend's back. Not that there was anyone to pray to, apparently. Adelaide looked round at Samandriel and saw that he too was gazing after Lee as she and Sam drove off. She sighed slightly, catching his attention. "You don't have to look so heartbroken, I'm nice too." She didn't really mean it. Adelaide knew that the angel and her partner shared a bond, it must be hard for him to be separated from her. Still, she couldn't resist teasing him. Samandriel's forlorn expression disappeared and he gawped at her.

"No, I know you are. I just..." He began quickly, but soon lost his way. He looked down at his shoes. Adelaide couldn't tell if he was embarrassed or not. She wasn't even sure if angels could be embarrassed. She smiled kindly and tried her best to explain why Lee had gone with Sam, hoping to ease his anxieties.

"Me and Lee agreed it would be good if you guys spent some time apart." Adelaide didn't want him to think that Lee had abandoned him when she was actually trying to help him. Not only would that break Samandriel's heart, but she'd get a serious earful from Lee as well. "She loves you to bits, she really does. But if you're gonna be working with us, you need to-"

"Connect with you too?" He hazarded a guess, finally looking up at her again. That hadn't been what Adelaide was going to say but it was close enough. She began to smile properly, glad that he understood what she was talking about.

"Yes. Yeah, exactly." Samandriel gave her a small smile in return before he looked back to where Lee and Sam had driven away. Adelaide bit her lip, worried that the angel was upset with her. "Are you alright?" She asked softly. Samandriel looked back at her and nodded once.

"Yes." She must've looked as dubious as she felt because Samandriel laughed a little. "It's okay, Adelaide. There's no need to look so worried." The angel ran a hand through his hair, a habit he must've picked up from Lee. Adelaide smiled to herself. She really had no idea just how close her partner and the angel were. "Amelia Lee is my friend but I won't pine away without her." Samandriel reassured her, laughing a little at his own joke. Then he nodded towards her old Ford and raised his eyebrows. "C'mon, let's go check out the neighbourhood." Adelaide jumped when he vanished then reappeared again in the passenger seat. She laughed and shook her head.

"Show off." She muttered.

* * *

The Impala came to an abrupt halt across the street from the Sheriff's house. Sam stopped the car so suddenly, Lee lurched forward in her seat. She would've scolded him but there really wasn't time. They clambered out of the Impala and hurried down the street. Lee glanced at Sam. He looked determined, she hoped he had some kind of plan. They couldn't just barge into the Sheriff's house, threaten her son and then ask her to help them save the town. The Winchesters were a lot of things but tactful wasn't one of them.

"Do you have a plan?" She asked, voicing her concerns. Sam gave a shrug and didn't meet her eyes.

"Sort of." He said vaguely. Lee snorted as they waited for a car to pass. Once it was gone, they crossed the road.

"I'd love to hear it."

"Okay, I don't have a plan."

"I can't believe you'd lie to me like that." Sam stopped in the middle of the street and turned to her.

"Have _you_ got a plan?" He shot back. If he was honest, he was kind of hoping that Lee actually did have some sort of idea because he was really drawing a blank here. To his dismay, the hunter pulled a face.

"Almost."

"Almost?" Lee put her hands on her hips, not happy with his tone.

"Are you always this confrontational?" Sam would've combatted her sharp words but a sudden, petrified scream ripped through the cold night air. They both whipped around, trying to figure out where the cry had come from. Sam felt his stomach flip when he realised who the scream belonged to.

"That came from the Sheriff's house." He didn't have to say another word. Lee suddenly tore off down the street, Sam close on her heels. They hurdled the little front gate and made quick work of the door. The hunters rushed into the living room to find Sheriff Mills standing over the body of her husband, her little boy covered in his blood. They didn't have time to be repulsed by the sight of the young boy chewing on his father's remains, they had to act fast. Sam grabbed Mills and pulled her towards the door, but the woman struggled against him.

"Let's go!" He guided her away from the body but still Mills tried to reach for her husband. Lee raised her gun and pointed it straight at the little boy. He gazed up at her curiously, blood and foam dripping from his gaping mouth. She felt sick to look at him, but she kept her aim steady. These newly risen people were fast and strong, she couldn't risk taking her eyes off him. Once she was sure that Sam had safely gotten the Sheriff outside, Lee slowly backed away from the boy and the body. He soon lost interest in her and went back to chewing on his father's shoulder. Lee only just managed to stop herself from gagging. She ran out of the house, not looking back. She found Sam and Mills out on the front lawn. Jody was very pale, clearly shaken by what she'd seen. Lee didn't blame her one bit.

"That was not my son!" She rasped, her breaths coming short and fast. She looked like she was going to be sick. Lee looked back towards the house, making sure the boy hadn't followed them whilst Sam tried to talk Jody down.

"You're right. It wasn't. Listen, Sheriff. Your town is in danger. People are in danger, and we need to help them now. Can you do that for me?" Mills shook her head, still trying to catch her breath. She couldn't stand still, shaking out her hands, stepping from foot to foot. Lee thought she was trying to fight the instincts telling her to go back into the house. Sam put his hands on Mills' shoulders, meeting her gaze. "Can you focus for me, Sheriff?" Jody took a few more deep breaths, fighting the urge to look back at her home. Finally, she calmed down enough to listen to the hunter.

"How do we put them down?"

* * *

Adelaide and Samandriel left the Capri at the end of the street and slowly made their way down the road. They were on the lookout for any other zombies, although Adelaide hoped she never saw anything as horrifying as Mrs. Miller or Mr. Humphries ever again. Her job didn't really bother her when they were hunting something callous and evil, something that had murdered people in cold blood. But there was something very unnerving about shooting a human, especially one who had been dead up until recently. She was certainly never going to watch a zombie movie ever again, that's for certain. They hadn't seen a single soul, unless they counted the cat that had scared Adelaide half to death when it suddenly cut across the path at lightning speed. She'd almost shot the poor thing. Thankfully, Samandriel had stopped her in time.

"The suspense is killing me." Adelaide muttered. She glanced into someone's front garden when she thought she saw something but it turned out to be just a dustbin. She was frightening herself. It was just so quiet, and after all that she'd seen that day, she thought a rise of the living dead situation would be a lot more action-packed. She looked over at Samandriel and raised her eyebrows. "Do you know any songs?" The angel cracked a smile.

"No, sorry." He told her, although he didn't sound the least bit apologetic which made Adelaide laugh quietly. She shrugged as they turned into the next street. They planned to cross the whole block then move onto the next. No stone left unturned etc.

"Thought a bit of a sing-along would help lighten the mood." Adelaide murmured. She thought she saw someone down at the other end of the street but whatever it was was gone now. Samandriel laughed softly, surprising the hunter.

"You and Amelia Lee are very similar sometimes." He said quietly, a thoughtful look on his face. Adelaide beamed with pride. That was a pretty big compliment coming from Samandriel, who adored Lee so unreservedly it made her a little envious. Adelaide was so glad that her partner had someone like Samandriel looking out for her. He was so dedicated and, well, good. You didn't get many people like him. Well, he wasn't people, but the point still stands. Adelaide reached out and gently took his arm, not wanting to be too forceful if he wasn't comfortable with her touching him. To her relief, he simply stopped walking and looked down at her questioningly.

"You look after her, Samandriel." Adelaide asked of him softly. "Keep her safe for me." Samandriel held her gaze for a moment before he looked down at the ground, a shy smile on his face.

"She looks after _me_." He replied, his voice filled with adoration. It was like he couldn't believe how lucky he was. Adelaide could hardly bare it, he was so god damn sweet. She made to continue down the street but Samandriel suddenly spoke again. "Do you... Do you know when they'll be back?" His question was hesitant, like he was afraid to ask her. Maybe he didn't want to sound rude, or maybe he was just as worried about Lee as she was. Adelaide recognised his hopeful yet worried expression. She wanted to answer him, she really did, but she also didn't want to lie.

"I don't." She replied quietly. "Sorry." Samandriel lowered his eyes, giving Adelaide a sad little nod.

"It's okay." He told her, though from the tone of his voice, it clearly wasn't. As if as an afterthought, he frowned and looked up. "It's just, I've got this weird feeling in here." He told Adelaide, pointing to the centre of his chest. He twisted his lip thoughtfully in a way that Lee had once said she found extremely adorable. "I don't know what it means." His voice was tinged with annoyance. He was angry that after all this time, he still couldn't quite get the hang of humans and their complex feelings, no matter how hard Lee tried to educate him. "It's like an ache that won't go away." He told the hunter, trying to explain the feeling, hoping that Adelaide would be able to put a name to it. She looked sad for a moment before she gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You miss her." She explained simply. Samandriel looked momentarily taken aback but after another thoughtful pursing of his lips, he nodded.

"Yes, that seems about right." He agreed sadly. Adelaide sighed and shook her head.

"God, you're breaking my heart." She muttered. She felt a buzz in her pocket and dug out her mobile phone. She smiled when she saw who was calling. "Hey, guess it's your lucky day." She told Samandriel before she answered the call. "Hey, mate, did you find the Sheriff?"

"Oh, yeah. And we also found her son chomping on his dad." Lee replied. Adelaide blanched, almost dropping her phone in surprise. Samandriel saw her horrified expression and asked what was wrong. Instead of repeating the terrible news, Adelaide moved the phone away from her ear and put Lee on speaker. "Poor guy. Poor kid. Sam went back in after we got Jody out and…" She trailed off, but they could piece two and two together.

"Are you alright?" She checked quickly, both her and Samandriel thinking the same thing. "And Sam?"

"We're both fine. Jody's safe too, if a little shaken. We're on our way to the police station." Adelaide nodded.

"Good idea. We'll finish our sweep and meet you there." She decided. Beside her, Samandriel made a sound of agreement. There weren't many streets left, it wouldn't take more than half an hour to meet them.

"Be careful, things are starting to get a little crazy." Lee warned them. They heard her laugh but it sounded decidedly nervous. Samandriel stepped closer to the phone Adelaide held aloft and spoke directly into it.

"Amelia Lee?" At the other end of the line, Lee winced at the sudden rise in volume and moved the phone away from her ear. In the seat beside her, Sam gave her a curious look but she waved him off.

"Hiya, sweetheart. How're you?" She asked once her ears had stopped ringing. Samandriel was pretty excited, not only about hearing from his friend, but this was his first time using a telephonic device and it was rather exhilarating.

"Good." He replied, smiling happily to himself. "Adelaide told me a story about how you used to steal things from a... What did you call it?" He looked to Adelaide for help which she gladly gave.

"The newsagents." They heard Lee sigh deeply and Adelaide knew she was rolling her eyes.

"It was a game, okay. We were young and dumb and ridiculously light-fingered." Then to Adelaide specifically, she added. "Please don't bad-mouth me to my angel, we've only been gone an hour." Adelaide shrugged even though she knew Lee couldn't see it.

"Sorry, I just thought it was funny." She said innocently, giving Samandriel a sly smile. The angel returned it, although he was distracted by Lee referring to him as 'her angel'. The thought made his chest flutter and he kept replaying her words over and over in his head. "See you in a bit." Lee returned the sentiments then hung up. Adelaide slipped her phone back into her pocket then gestured for Samandriel to start walking again

They finished the block in no time at all. Because it had been so uneventful, the angel and the hunter decided to skip the others and head over to meet Sam and Lee at the police station. As they drove closer to the centre of town, things started to get a little more interesting. The suburbs had been peaceful, but the streets and houses here were clogged with people. Most seemed healthy, if a little frightened, so Adelaide decided that she wouldn't stop the car unless they saw a zombie. Minutes later, they arrived at the police station. The front desk was empty and a quick check of the bullpen led them to believe that the place was deserted. The last time they'd passed through, the station had been alive with laughter and ringing phones and the general chatter of graveyard shift police officers. Now the station felt eerily quiet. Adelaide pulled out her phone to make sure Lee hadn't messaged her about a change in their plans, but her inbox was empty. A few seconds later, her battery died.

"Samandriel?" She looked over at the angel, who was peering into a desk drawer. When he heard her call his name, he snapped it shut again, embarrassed about being caught snooping. Adelaide would've teased him but the empty police station was a little disquieting. "D'you wanna see if you can find Lee? Then come back and fly me to her?" The angel seemed pleased to be given a mission and he nodded before suddenly vanishing without another word. Adelaide took the time to sit down at the nearest desk and see if its owner had any useful information lying around. The desk was cluttered and covered in crumbs, so she didn't hold out much hope. Just as she was trying to guess the police officer's computer password, she heard the glass doors of the station slide open. Thinking it must be Lee or Sam, she gathered up her things and went to meet them in reception. She rounded the corner and froze on the spot. It was not Sam and Lee. In the doorway of the station stood a tall man, with wide, blank eyes and tattered clothes. A droplet of white foam dribbled from his lips. Adelaide held her breath and slowly backed away from the man, hoping that if she moved carefully he wouldn't spot her. But then her duffel bag knocked a coffee mug off the reception desk and it shattered on the floor. The man looked around. Adelaide swore.

She didn't wait for him to move first. Adelaide span on the spot and ran back into the bullpen. She could hear the man's heavy breaths behind her but she had a head start and though it was small, it was the difference between life and death. The only door in the bullpen led to the cells but she didn't have much of a choice. Adelaide dropped her heavy bag with a clatter, hoping that it might at least trip the rabid man. She charged through the double doors and into the nearest cell. There she waited with baited breath, her eyes wide and frightened. The man staggered through the double doors and paused for a moment, like a dog who'd lost the scent, but then he gave a terrifying howl and lumbered towards her. Adelaide waited until the man was inside the cell with her. The seconds seemed to last forever. Finally, she let out a cry as she ducked under the man's wildly waving arms and rolled across the floor. Landing in a kneeling position, she quickly turned around and slammed the door closed. Thankfully, the automatic security system kicked in and the man was locked inside. He roared and screamed at her, reaching though the bars wildly. Adelaide took a few deep breaths then turned and fled.

The cool night air was soothing but she didn't have time to enjoy it for long. A group of four of five people came stumbling around the corner, the tell-tale white foam on their snarling lips. Adelaide took a deep breath to refill her lungs before she took off in the other direction, doing a circuit of the police station in the hopes that she'd find Lee or Sam along the way. The group of zombies chased her, their unnatural speed and strength were an advantage but fear made her fast. Adelaide turned corner after corner but still they hunted her and she saw no one. Her luck eventually ran out. She turned one last corner and came to a dead end.

"No." She breathed, her wide eyes scanning the area for a way out. She was trapped. She could hear the rabid people coming around the corner, they ragged breaths and wild growls negating them of any last traces of humanity. Adelaide moved away from the mouth of the alley until her back was pressed against a wall. It was far too tall to climb and topped with thick barbed wire. There were a couple of dustbins but she didn't have nearly enough time to fashion an escape route. Adelaide reached for her gun and realised she'd dropped her duffel back in the bullpen. She only had three bullets and five zombies. Unless she got stunningly creative with her aim, there was no way she was getting out this alley alive.

The first of the rabid men and women lumbered into sight and Adelaide felt her skin prickle with goose bumps. So, this was how it ends? Trapped in a filthy alleyway, eaten by zombies. It wasn't how she'd pictured it all. She wished she wasn't so afraid. There were more of them now, five men and women with pale, dead eyes and blood-spattered clothes. Adelaide raised her gun and took down three of the rabid humans in quick succession, but five more took their places. She dropped her gun to the floor, it was useless now. Adelaide closed her eyes and held her breath as the nearest zombie reached for her.

There was a brilliant, blinding light. Was this dying? Was this what dying felt like? She couldn't open her eyes, the light was too bright. She didn't feel any pain, which was good. Getting eaten sounded like it really hurt, so at least there was that. Then the light disappeared as quickly as it came. She couldn't hear anything. The low rumbles and groans of the newly risen were gone. Adelaide willed herself to open her eyes. At first, she thought she was alone. But then her vision focused and she realised the damp floor was littered bodies. The townspeople were dead once more. At the centre of the alleyway stood a figure. A man. No, not a man.

"Gabriel?" Her confused call came out in an almost silent whisper, but he still heard it. Gabriel turned around to face her and she saw that his eyes were glowing a peculiar blue that she could only describe as ethereal. Then the glow vanished and he was Gabriel again.

"Adelaide." He breathed, relief flooding his senses. The hunter stared between him and the bodies on the ground, her dark blue eyes wide and fearful.

"What did you do?" She asked. He couldn't be sure if she sounded awestruck or terrified. Probably both. Gabriel swaggered over to her, keeping his smile up in an attempt to reassure her.

"I'm not an archangel for nothing, sugar." He reached out and gripped her elbows, though only gently. He didn't want to frighten her anymore than she already had been. He looked her up and down, concern creasing his forehead. "Are you okay?" Adelaide nodded, finally tearing her gaze away from the bodies.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She said quickly, her confidence returning as her heart rate and breathing returned to normal. She'd thought that she was going to die. The relief made her knees buckle and if it hadn't been for Gabriel, she would've crumpled to the floor. "How did you know where I was?" She asked, trying to change the subject and shake her morbid thoughts. Gabriel shrugged, he was more interested in her.

"I just felt it. I knew you were in trouble." He squeezed her arms gently. "Are you sure you're okay? You're not hurt?" Adelaide studied his bright, whisky-coloured eyes as the shock finally released its hold on her. Then she cleared her throat, clearly feeling quite embarrassed. She straightened up and he let her go, but he didn't move away. Adelaide took stock of her injuries and found them to be minimal. She was lucky, if it weren't for Gabriel, she would have been a goner.

"I twisted my ankle a bit going around the corner but otherwise I'm-" Gabriel reached out and took her hand in his before she could finish her sentence. She felt a warmth travel through her veins, heading for her left ankle. A few seconds later, all her pain was gone. She stared at him in disbelief but he ignored it.

"Let's get out of here." He murmured, pulling her gently away from the wall and guiding her down the alleyway. Once they were out in the open, Gabriel let go of her hand and Adelaide pretended she wasn't disappointed. The archangel waited outside, guarding the entrance to the police station whilst Adelaide retrieved her duffel bag. She would certainly need it, but she felt safer with Gabriel. When she came back through the sliding glass doors, she could see someone running their way. Adelaide immediately pulled out her gun but Gabriel gestured for her to lower the weapon. The man and woman came closer and she finally recognised them.

"Sam!" The hunter stopped when he heard his name and looked their way. Though he was on the other side of the road, they could clearly see the relieved look on his face.

"Adelaide, are you okay?" Sam asked when he and Sheriff Mills eventually joined them. When Adelaide assured him that she was fine, the Winchester turned his attention to Gabriel. "When did you get here?"

"Right in the nick of time, trust me." Adelaide told him, sending Gabriel a grateful smile. The angel shrugged in response but did return her smile. Adelaide looked Sam up and down to check that he was alright and suddenly realised something. "Where's Lee?" Sam opened his mouth to respond but an abrupt, loud, familiar voice interrupted him.

"Oi!" The hunters, the Sheriff and the archangel looked around at the shout and almost gasped at what they saw. Lee and Samandriel were pelting down the empty street towards them. They would've been relieved to see their friends if they weren't being chased by a hoard of twenty or so newly risen townspeople. Lee swung her arm wildly, gesturing for them to move. "Leg it!" She cried, and run they did. The group took off down the street, trying to lead the zombies to somewhere more open. The road they followed eventually widened and Sam skidded to a halt. He pulled out his .48 and took down two of the undead with one bullet. Adelaide and Jody followed suit, grabbing a shotgun each and blowing away the closest zombies. Lee didn't even take a second to catch her breath. She punched a woman on the nose then shot her through the chest once she'd staggered back. Samandriel and Gabriel worked quickly, placing their hands on the foreheads of the newly risen and sending them back to where they came from. Soon, they were alone again. Heavy breaths curled like plumes of smoke in the air above their heads. Adelaide fought the urge to sit down on the wet ground, her knees shaking beneath her. Despite her exhaustion, she reached for her partner and squeezed her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" She asked breathlessly. Lee gave her a wide grin, placing her hands on her hips and leaning back as she tried to slow her racing heart.

"I'm fine, what about you?"

"A little out of breath but otherwise A-okay." Sam made his gun safe and slipped it back in his pocket, not wanting to scare any of the townspeople. Not that a gun was going to frighten anyone after they night they'd had.

"We're done here." He said, catching their attentions. Adelaide nodded and packed the shotgun back into her duffel. She heaved it over her shoulder, the weight feeling much worse now that she was exhausted. She couldn't wait to curl up in bed and forget all this ever happened. But they weren't finished yet.

"We should go back to Bobby's."

* * *

Dean roared as the closet door opened. He knocked a zombie back with the butt of his shotgun, but it did little to deter it. Behind him, he could hear Bobby taking down body after body. But it wasn't enough. Soon they'd be overwhelmed. The front door suddenly burst open and in stormed Sam, Adelaide and Lee, the Sheriff and the angels. Dean had never been so happy to see such a ragtag group of people.

"Get down!" Dean and Bobby reacted quickly. They didn't waste any time, ducking out of the way as best they could whilst the others took out the remaining zombies. The screams and roars of the undead finally ceased and the house was quiet. Sam stepped towards his brother and helped him up from the floor.

"Are you okay?" He asked, but Dean couldn't form a reply. Instead, he patted his brother's shoulder gratefully. They gazed around at the bodies around their feet and tried not to grimace.

* * *

The next day, the sun seemed to shine a little brighter. The dark clouds that hung over Sioux Falls were long gone and the sky was a brilliant blue. Adelaide would've enjoyed the sunshine if it weren't for their current situation. She, Lee, Samandriel, Gabriel and Sam were standing in front of a massive funeral pyre. They'd constructed it in the early hours of the morning. Every body they could find had been cremated, the only way to make sure the dead stayed dead. Samandriel gazed at the crackling flames and tried not to show how uncomfortable he was. This funeral didn't seem nearly respectful enough for the dead humans, but the hunters knew best. He hoped they found their way to heaven with ease. Beside him, Lee was watching the sparks that flitted above the flames, watching the cinders float through the clean, fresh air. Boots crunching on dead leaves made them look around. Dean and Jody Mills joined them by the pyre.

"Well, if there's any zombies left out there, we can't find them." The hunters nodded sombrely.

"How are the townspeople?" Asked Sam, always the philanthropist. Sheriff Mills shrugged. Adelaide had to admire her bravery. She'd taken the whole zombie thing very well. She might even make a good hunter one day. She whispered her idea to Lee who claimed with a grin that she'd been thinking the exact same thing.

"Pretty freaked out. Hell, traumatized." The Sheriff studied the funeral pyre for a moment. A look of pain crossed her face and she looked away again. "A few of them are calling the papers. As far as I can tell, nobody's believed 'em yet." Sam scoffed.

"Would you?" Sheriff Mills shook her head. With a slight sigh, they all turned back to the funeral pyre. After a few moments of respectful silence, Dean asked,

"Is that everyone?"

"All but one."

* * *

Singer Scrapyard had always looked a rather melancholy place, but now the feeling was real. This funeral pyre was much smaller than the first, but then it only housed one person. Bobby stared emptily at the flames as they devoured his wife. This time, Karen was gone for good. Silence buzzed in the hunters' ears, the only sound coming from the cracking, spitting fire. Samandriel had always rather liked the quiet, but found this sombre observance unsettling. They had been standing before the pyre for almost twenty minutes, watching the orange and red flames engulf its occupant, and no one had said a word. Beside him, Lee had her hands folded in front of her, her head slightly bowed. He did his best to copy her.

Once the wooden structure finally collapsed, the hunters relaxed their stances. Bobby sighed to himself, his expression flickering in the dying light. How many times was he going to have to kill her? Sam and Dean talked in hushed voices, probably discussing their horror of a day. Samandriel saw this and assumed it was alright to talk again. He took note of Bobby's woebegone countenance and decided to try and comfort him. He reached down and placed a hand on Bobby's shoulder, putting into practice what he'd seen his companions do when they offered encouragement and condolences. His gesture surprised Bobby, but not as much as what he said next.

"She was a mountain amongst molehills." Samandriel said firmly, giving the hunter a comforting smile. Beside him, Lee winced and shook her head.

"Not quite, sweetheart." She told him quietly. Samandriel tutted in annoyance.

"Darn." Bobby smiled despite of himself. It was nice of the angel to try.

"Thanks anyways, kid." Samandriel met his gaze, smiled again then removed his hand. Lee looped her arms through the angel's and gently guided him away from the funeral pyre. She thought Bobby might want some time alone to say goodbye to Karen. Adelaide had already gone inside to shower and rest, neither of which they'd had much time for over the last few days. Lee walked Samandriel round to the back door, leaving the Winchesters and Bobby to grieve alone.

"So, how was hunting with Adelaide?" She asked. An age old hunter trick. She'd seen so many horrors, the only way to get past them was to block them out. Focusing on the angel and listening to him talk always helped. To her surprise, Samandriel shook his head.

"Awful." He saw her shocked expression and rushed to explain himself. "I mean, _she_ was amazing. Adelaide is a very skilled hunter and an excellent friend. I care about her very much." Lee's expression melted into curiosity and Samandriel felt relief rush through him. He stopped just before they went up the steps to the back door. Lee didn't notice that he was no longer following her until she heard him speak again. "But I... I didn't like being separated from you." His confession was quiet, hesitant, like he wasn't sure whether he should keep going or not. Lee turned around on the top step and found him looking up at her, an anxious look on his face. Was he worried about how she would respond? Did Samandriel regret his feelings for her? Was he frightened of them? She knew he'd never had a friend like her before, but it was only now that she realised just how frightening these new emotions must be to him. He didn't understand how he felt, it must be so disconcerting. But because she was a hunter and therefore reasonably awful with feelings, all Lee could utter in response was a quiet,

"Oh." Samandriel took a tentative step closer but stopped before the bottom stair.

"I know you want me to be as close to the others as I am to you, and you're right, I would like to connect with my new friends." He took a deep breath, trying to steady his heart which to his annoyance was racing for no apparent reason. "But they're not... I am proud to call them my friends, but the whole time I was hunting, all I could think about was how much I missed you." Lee wished she was better with words so that she could offer Samandriel the comfort he sought. She wished she could tell him just how much she cared about him, how often she thought about him, and that his feelings were requited. But again, her instincts won. Lee moved down a step and gave Samandriel a shy smile.

"I missed you too." She admitted. The angel's face lit up.

"You did?" He asked excitedly. Lee laughed at his expression and nodded. Samandriel looked suitably relieved. It was reassuring to know that she felt what he did. He wasn't as alone as he thought. Lee took another step closer and was pensively silent for a moment, then she reached forward and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Samandriel let out a deep sigh. Lee felt him relax beneath her as his arms came up around her middle. It was like all his worries and anxieties left the moment she touched him. The angel held his friend close, all the while wondering how he'd survived so many thousands of years without holding someone like this. Lee eventually pulled away though her reluctance was obvious. She cleared her throat, quite embarrassed by what she'd done. She ran a hand through her hair and Samandriel watched her carefully, waiting for her to speak. Finally, she admitted,

"This was a stupid idea." Lee met his gaze and raised her eyebrows. "You _should_ get to know them better... But would it be alright if you did that by my side?" To her relief, Samandriel smiled.

"That would be very agreeable." He murmured, making her heart spin. Lee felt her face beginning to burn so she looked away, choosing instead to focus on the Winchesters and Bobby who she could see were still talking as the last of the flames burnt out.

"Thank you for looking after Adelaide." She said after a moment's silence. Her changing the subject didn't go unnoticed by the surprisingly perceptive angel, but he decided not to question it. Instead, he grinned up at his friend, earning her attention again.

"Do I get to sit in the front seat in return for my services?" He asked, wriggling his eyebrows for effect. He must've learnt that from Gabriel, she thought. She'd have to talk to the archangel about that later. He had stuck around after the attack and was probably bothering Adelaide at that moment. Lee sighed and shook her head but she was holding back a grin of her own.

"You cheeky sod." She muttered, turning around and walking back up the steps. Samandriel laughed and followed her into the house, leaning their nightmarish day behind them.


End file.
